


Speed Racer 2, Or: I wrote a script for a fake SR film

by N_Chu4Ever



Category: Mach GoGoGo | Speed Racer, Speed Racer (2008)
Genre: Gen, I don't know what I'm doing, I say improbable bc this is SR have you seen what the CIB have, Original Character(s), Screenplay/Script Format, Who let me write this, at least regarding medical procedures and kidnappings, hopefully it's accurate to the film, improbable plastic surgery, it's a lot of inaccuracy, use of both past and present actors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:01:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22083808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/N_Chu4Ever/pseuds/N_Chu4Ever
Summary: It's been about three months since the original film. Speed hasn't been doing much in that time, because the WRL has been in a form of shutdown for the CIB's investigation. A billionaire, though, announces that a new multi-country rally will be run to alleviate boredom. Inspector Detector, believing that the billionaire is linked to several evil characters from the Racer's past, asks if Speed can race alongside Racer X and Taejo Togokahn once more. There are secrets, though, that will soon be unraveled, including the true identity of the Masked Racer and the hidden intentions of some of the billionaire's friends...
Relationships: Mifune Gou | Speed Racer/Shimura Michi | Trixie
Comments: 5
Kudos: 7





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a pretty dead fandom, huh? I can't believe I'm also posting this as my first piece of fanfic. Oh well, please be nice. Also, this was written entirely in Comic Sans, at least initially! Also, I don't know how to HTML. This isn't something I've done before!
> 
> Basically, I wrote this late last year over a few days, and by word count it's one of the longest things I've ever written period. I decided I wanted to upload it (for a dead fandom -_-), so I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Also, improbable pop culture references abound!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to CHAOS, everyone!

_After the usual film titles are introduced, backed by the brilliant scoring of Michael Giacchino, the title of the film is introduced. On a black and white checkerboard-like screen, a title similar to the one from the first film pops up, except in blue, with a bold red ‘2’ underneath (like Toy Story). This is the film: **SPEED RACER 2.**_

_We zoom through the title onto a very different background to the first film. It’s a dark, stormy night, and we pan down from cloudy skies to a mountainous area. A lone house stands among the mountains, with only a single light on._

_We cut to inside a study, with **one shadowed man [SHADOW 1]** sitting behind a desk, and **three other shadowed figures** sitting in front of him. At least one of them is presumably a woman **[SHADOW 4]**. The desk has six pencils, a notepad and an eraser on it._

_[There are various shots of each person, still in shadow, as they speak]_

**SHADOW 1:** I take it our friend Royalton has been disposed of?  
**SHADOW 4:** Regrettably. _[Cut to S4]_ I warned him about the CIB and that Racer kid, but he refused to listen.  
**SHADOW 2:** He was a failure from the start, though! _[Cut to S2]_ From the moment we recruited him, he repeatedly failed to get rid of Speed Racer! We shoulda just broken Benelli outta jail – he took care of Rex Racer, he probably woulda taken care of his lil brother too.  
**SHADOW 1:** _[He slams his hands on table. The pencils go flying.]_ **SILENCE!** _[Cut to a close-up of S1]_ Benelli was too recognisable! If we’d used him, the CIB would’ve caught on like bees to pollen! _[Cut to mid-shot] [He sighs]_ Regardless, we’re going to have to change things up from now on. The WRL is still closed for investigation, after all, and we’re bound to lose the race fixers and likely about six of our allies. We need a new plan, because if Speed Racer and his friends get their grubby little hands all over our work, we’re doomed! So, I suggest one of you thinks of something _quick!_  
**SHADOW 3, unexpectedly a woman’s voice:** I think I may have an idea, sir.  
**SHADOW 1: _Other_** than murder?  
**SHADOW 3:** Yes…

_We cut back to outside and pan up, just as a bolt of lightning strikes. The music shifts from dark to light as the sky changes from darkness to morning. We pan down to the Racer household. It’s still as bright as ever._

_We cut inside to the room of **Speed Racer [Emile Hirsch],** panning from a photograph taken at the Grand Prix several months ago, to the trophy, to a series of photographs of his family, to finally over to where Speed is still fast asleep on his front, one hand hanging off the bed. We cut to a shot of Speed’s face from the perspective of his bedside table, where we blur to his watch, whose alarm is about to go off. It goes off at exactly 8:00. We blur back to Speed, who opens his eyes sleepily and groans—_

**Speed:** Can you _not?_

_He grabs the watch and shuts it off, before we cut to a better shot of the room. He sits up and stretches, before crawling tiredly out of bed, rubbing his eyes every so often. We cut to his trashcan, which has enough of its rubbish sticking out for us to see that it’s the poster he tossed in there from the first film. We now cut finally to the kitchen/dining hall, to where **Mom [Susan Sarandon]** is making scrambled eggs. She hears Speed’s door open._

**Mom:** Speed! You’re up early.

_We pan to where Speed is walking out of his room, still occasionally rubbing his eyes. We see now he’s wearing a crumpled red shirt and track pants. We cut to a behind shot of Speed as he walks over and sits down at the table, talking to Mom as he goes._

**Speed:** Yeah, I’m beginning to regret it. _[We cut to a behind shot of Speed as he walks over and sits down at the table, talking to Mom as he goes.]_ Is that eggs?  
**Mom:** They’ll be ready soon.  
**Speed:** Where’s Pops?  
**Pops [O.S.]:** Right here, son.

_**Pops [John Goodman]** walks into the room, presumably from the garage, as his blue mechanic’s outfit is stained with grease. He also sits down, just before we hear an audible scuffle and cut to a different angle as **Spritle [Paulie Litt]** and **Chim-Chim** come almost skidding out of their shared room, yelling a shared greeting of some sort. We also see **Sparky [Kick Gurry]** follow at a slightly more leisurely pace, greeting way too cheerfully—_

**Sparky:** Morning! 

_They all sit down, Sparky picking up the newspaper. He begins to read it out._

**Sparky:** The WRL investigation continues into its third month, with many racing teams beginning to ask when the WRL will open for racing again. A few teams have considered blaming Speed Racer, winner of the Grand Prix three months ago, for the interruption to racing, but apart from them, there is nothing but overwhelming support for the Racer Motors team and Speed. Still, we have to wonder: What will happen with the racing world next?  
**Spritle, with a slightly full mouth, and with Chim-Chim mimicking his moves:** That’s pretty much the same thing they’ve been saying for the past three months. When will the WRL open again? Can we blame Speed Racer? What next?  
**Mom, chidingly:** Spritle, swallow before you speak.  
**Spritle, swallowing:** Sorry, Mom…  
**Trixie [O.S.]:** Morning everybody!  
**All:** Morning Trixie!

_We cut back to the original back angle as **Trixie [Christina Ricci]** enters from the back of the house. She’s somewhere in the middle of Sparky’s overenthusiasm and Speed’s tiredness._

_We cut to her walking over to Speed, as she says—_

**Trixie:** Morning Mr Grand Prix Champion~.

_Before she kisses him on the forehead, Speed leaning up in appreciation before saying—_

**Speed, lovingly:** You’ve been saying that for the past three months, Trix!  
**Spritle [O.S.], ruining the mood:** No PDA at the table, you guys!

_Speed rolls his eyes before we cut to a shot of underneath the table as he kicks Spritle, with an audible ‘OW’ from Spritle and a grin from Speed. We then cut to a proper shot of everyone settling down to eat._

**Trixie:** What were the papers saying?  
**Sparky:** Same as usual.  
**Trixie:** Ah.

_They continue eating for about two more seconds before there’s the ringing of a doorbell._

**Speed:** I’ll get it!

_We cut to a shot of Speed approaching the door. He then opens it to find—_

**Speed:** Inspector Detector!

_We cut to everyone looking up from his or her breakfasts, before cutting back to **Inspector Detector [Benno Fürmann].** Pops immediately gets up and goes to join Speed._

**Inspector:** Speed.  
**Speed:** This is certainly a surprise. We haven’t seen you since the Grand Prix.  
**Pops, approaching from behind Speed:** Inspector, can we help you with anything?  
**Inspector:** You might be able to, yes. But first, turn on the television.

_We cut to the TV being turned on, settled on the WRL channel. A white countdown is present, with about ten seconds remaining on it. It reads **‘PLEASE STAND BY FOR A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE WRL’.** We cut to a shot of the three men facing it._

**Speed:** Everyone! Something’s going on!

_We cut to a shot of everyone coming out of the kitchen, most holding their breakfasts. The ten seconds ends and it cuts to a shot of a **disarmingly friendly-looking man [Mads Mikkelson]** with grey hair and blue eyes. Next to him is **Ben Burns [Richard Roundtree].**_

**Burns:** Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Today appears to be a very exciting day, as, although the WRL is still under investigation, one of the richest, if not the richest, men in the world has an announcement to make. 

_The man smiles and prepares to speak. We recognise his voice from earlier in the film. He is the mysterious **SHADOW 1.**_

**The man:** Hello everyone, my name is Alastair Goldminter. Up until a few years ago, I ran the Golden Gazelle team, before deciding instead to invest in aerojacks. I understand that the racing world is desperate for a chance to drive again – and believe me when I say I do – so I have organised to hold a competition during the investigation. While we cannot acquire the use of the WRL-standard tracks, we have managed to create four different races – three rallies over three different continents and a final race that will span farther than even Casa Cristo, going across all of Russia before finishing in Korea. The winner will receive a small mountain of gold and the title of Golden Champion. The race itself will be called the Gazelle Multi-Rally. I hope a lot of people are interested, farewell.

_The Inspector switches the television off. We cut to everyone turning towards him. We pan to each character as they speak._

**Trixie:** A small mountain of _what?_  
**Mom:** Continental rallies?  
**Spritle:** So much candy… _[He faints with Chim-Chim]_  
**Sparky:** That much gold could pay for Racer Motors’ bill for… for _forever!_  
**Pops:** Let the inspector speak.

_The Inspector has been waiting patiently._

**Inspector:** We discovered this announcement about an hour before it was filmed, and have had time to formulate an attack plan before we came to you.  
**Speed:** You want me to drive for you, don’t you?  
**Inspector:** Yes. Due to an attack on the lab last month during a demonstration, most of our drivers are currently incapacitated and unable to walk, let alone _race_. Racer X, since he was out on a mission at the time, was the only one left unharmed.  
**Spritle:** _Why_ should he drive?  
**Inspector:** For one thing, he’s done nothing in the past three months. For another, we suspect that Goldminter is somehow connected to Royalton and several other racing fixers… including your brother Rex’s former employer and suspected murderer Blackjack Benelli.

_Everyone winces._

**Pops:** Let’s just hope he _stays_ in jail.  
**Inspector:** Indeed. Speed, it’s fine if you refuse, but we desperately need another driver with CIB experience.

_Speed is silent for a moment. Everyone looks at him half-expectantly as the camera zooms on him. Eventually, though, he nods._

**Speed:** Okay. I’ll do it if Pops says I can.  
**Pops:** _[He sighs.]_ Considering he did so well in the Crucible, I can’t exactly say no… But I do insist on having everyone come with him.

_We see that the Inspector nods understandingly._

**Inspector:** All right then. I’ll organise for the Mach 5 – they specifically wanted _rally vehicles_ rather than WRL cars – to be entered into the competition, under ‘Independent’. I recommend, however, that Mr Sparkolomew should undergo some basic fighting training before the first rally, and that the Mach 5 is upgraded again. We all saw the mountain fight.  
**Sparky:** There’s no need to rub it in…  
**Spritle:** When does the first rally start?  
**Inspector:** In one week. Speed—

_We cut to an establishing shot of Thunderhead, in the dark of sunset._

**Inspector [V.O.]** You may want to get some driving in.

_We can hear the sound of the Mach 5 racing around the track. We soon cut to various shots of the car as it guns around, occasionally switching to a shot of Speed focusing on driving. He’s wearing his standard helmet, and has changed into his Thunderhead driving uniform. The music here is thematically similar to the track ‘World’s Best Autopia’, and yet is soon joined in by the appearance of the Shooting Star, belonging to **Racer X [Matthew Fox]** (who is secretly Rex Racer with plastic surgery), with a hint of electric guitar joining the music. Speed grins when he notices the arrival of X and the two cars begin to race properly, both against and with each other, like two brothers working together. Eventually, they screech to a halt at the finish line. Speed hops out of the Mach 5. X steps out of the Shooting Star._

**Speed:** Been a while, X.  
**X:** It certainly has. How’s the quiet life been treating you?  
**Speed:** Bo-ring! I’d actually started thinking about _college. **College!**_

_X snorts._

**X:** I’ll bet you’re glad to be driving again, then.  
**Speed, singing to the tune of ‘Back to Hogwarts’:** _It’s been so long, but we’re going back!_  
**X:** …  
**Speed:** What? Don’t you know A Very Potter Musical…? Okay, never mind. Are you here for training?  
**X:** That, but also our third ally happens to be due.

_The sound of an engine fills the air. Speed recognises the sound. He groans._

**Speed:** That ‘ally’ _betrayed_ us!  
**X:** I wasn’t the one to organise the team. It makes me glad that you’re leading.

_A second later, another car leaps over and screeches to a halt. It’s the Hangul, belonging to **Taejo Togokahn [Rain],** who led their team in the Casa Cristo rally and then essentially betrayed the CIB and the Racer family._

____

**Taejo:** Long time, no see, Speed, X.

____

_Speed does not look impressed. X is carefully neutral._

____

**Taejo:** Okay, I deserve the look, but can I at least explain myself?  
**Speed:** Apologise first.  
**Taejo:** Fair enough… Look, Speed, I’m sorry for what I did during the Crucible, and for acting like a real ass. I don’t think you’ll forgive me, but could we at least please just race together? _[He offers his hand. Speed looks at it. He sighs dramatically and shakes it back.]_  
**Speed:** The ‘forgive’ thing will take a while, but you _did_ help put Royalton in jail. Explain yourself.  
**Taejo, shrugging:** I think the CIB still liked my driving enough to ask me to drive in the Gazelle. That, and they’d given me free counselling because my bullheadedness almost cost us the Crucible.

____

_Speed snorts. X is still neutral, but the younger two can feel a strain of slight disappointment._

____

**Taejo:** So yeah, that’s my reasoning. That, and I think you two are too compatible. You need a _wildcard_ to confuse the opponents.  
**Speed:** Fair enough. I _guess_ this is welcome to the GO Team. Race?  
**Taejo:** Hell yeah—

____

_Suddenly, several gunshots echo through the air, startling all of them._

____

**X:** That was just beyond the exit.  
**Speed:** Someone might be hurt! Come on!

____

_We cut to a long shot as the trio sprint for the exit, where two men are sprinting themselves as they hop into two black cars, easily escaping. X attempts to shoot out one of their tires with a concealed gun. He fails._

____

**X:** Damn.  
**Taejo:** We’ve got casualties!

____

_Two women are flat on the ground. One of them is recognisable as **Minx [Nayo Wallace],** the scientist who worked with Speed on the Mach 5’s upgrades. She’s been shot in the leg, and stirs as X approaches her hurriedly. **The other woman [Kelly Marie Tran]** isn’t so lucky – she’s been shot in the chest. Taejo and Speed immediately work on doing their best to stabilise her, while X uses Minx’s phone to call an ambulance._

____

**Speed:** What happened?  
**Minx:** An _ambush,_ that’s what. We were going to report in a new piece of evidence over radio, but the system was down. We should’ve realised that it was a set-up. This is Hikari. She’s a friend of Lovelace Goldminter – Goldminter’s daughter – and she believes that Lovelace will enter the race and attempt to attack everyone in her path.

____

_Hikari stirs with a pained look on her face._

____

**Hikari, clearly strained:** Ow…  
**Taejo:** Don’t move, help’s on the way.  
**Hikari, strained:** I’ve seen those men before. One of them works for Lovelace directly, while the other works for her father. They were trying to kill me.

____

_A car’s tires echo in the background._

____

**Speed:** Are they coming back around?  
**X:** Possibly. Get behind me, Speed, Taejo.

____

_They hide behind X as a car prowls around. It’s not the same car. It’s a CIB-standard ambulance. They all sigh in relief. An officer comes running over with a stretcher._

____

**Ambulance officer:** Agents X and Minx! Who’s hurt?  
**Minx:** Hikari, next to me – gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen.  
**X:** And Minx, to the leg.

____

_Minx rolls her eyes, as if this isn’t the first time this has happened._

____

**Officer:** Regardless, I’d best get you two back to headquarters. Ah, Speed Racer and Taejo Togokahn, correct?  
**Speed and Taejo in unison:** Yeah?  
**Officer:** Are either of you injured?

____

_They shake their heads._

____

**Officer:** You’d best follow in your cars.  
**Minx:** The inspector will want your testimonies and, besides, I need to work on the upgrades. That shield thing’s outta date. 

__******** _ _

_Everyone gives Minx a look of ‘yeah, as if you’re going to be doing THAT’._

__******** _ _

_We now jumpcut to a clock in the Racer household several hours later; it’s close to ten PM. We cut to Mom watching the clock anxiously, while Pops just taps his foot in the background. A few moments later, they hear the door open. We pan to Speed entering._

__******** _ _

**Mom and Pops [O.S.]:** Speed!  
**Speed:** Eesh! I didn’t realise either of you would be awake!

__******** _ _

_Both parents come rushing up to check on him and hug him in Mom’s case. We cut to a side view of the meet-up, as Mom releases her hug._

__******** _ _

**Mom:** We’ve been worried _sick,_ you wouldn’t answer our calls and we got told there were gunshots!  
**Pops:** Did something happen at the track?  
**Speed:** I’m fine! I wasn’t hurt. Minx and another lady were though, because they were trying to give the GO Team a warning about a new contestant. Minx is already working again – I had to get dropped home since she has the Mach 5 – but the other lady’s still in hospital.  
**Trixie, out of nowhere as she walks into frame:** Speed Racer, you’ve got a _lot_ to explain!  
**Speed:** People got shot, we saved them, gave our testimony and also Taejo started the path to forgiveness.  
**Spritle [O.S.]:** The guy who _betrayed us?!_

__******** _ _

_Spritle skids in last-second with Chim-Chim._

__******** _ _

**Speed:** He apologised! And he’s been going to therapy!  
**Pops, pinching the bridge of his nose:** Okay, I think we get the point. Everyone’s tired, and we’re going to need our sleep.  
**Spritle:** Wait, Speed, what did you just call the team?  
**Speed:** GO Team. Kinda came up with it on the spot, don’t quite know why.  
**Pops, exasperatedly:** Goodnight everybody!  
**Everyone:** Night Pops!

__******** _ _

_Most of the family disperses. The only ones who don’t are Speed and Trixie._

__******** _ _

**Trixie:** You really do scare me sometimes, Speed.  
**Speed:** I know. I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier. And don’t say it’s fine – it’s not, and you know it. I should’ve gotten permission from the inspector.  
**Trixie:** I know. 

__******** _ _

_She gently kisses Speed on the lips. He returns just as gently. There are a few close-ups. Eventually, they release and walk outside, as Speed is walking Trixie home across the back lawn._

__******** _ _

**Trixie:** Okay, so what exactly happened?  
**Speed:** Well, Taejo had just apologised, and we were going to race before we heard gunshots, so we sprinted out and two men were running away in an unmarked car. X tried to shoot their tires, but failed, so we tended to the victims instead. Minx was one, and a lady named Hikari was the other. Hikari had found out that Mr Goldminter’s daughter Lovelace was going to compete and likely try to attack the other drivers. I don’t know if she’s still alive, but she did tell us that the men that attacked them worked for Lovelace and her father.  
**Trixie:** Telling us that a) they’re awful at shooting and b) that Goldminter isn’t all that trustworthy.  
**Speed:** Yeah.

__******** _ _

_Trixie goes silent for a moment, before realising something. She grins deviously._

__******** _ _

**Speed, warningly:** Aviatrix… _[He’s using her full name]_

__******** _ _

_Trixie whacks him over the head lightly, since she doesn’t like her full name. She then asks—_

__******** _ _

**Trixie:** Remember the day we met properly?  
**Speed:** Yeah—

__******** _ _

_He has a flashback to the fan mail bomb, a little duller in colour than the first film showed._

__******** _ _

**Speed [V.O.]:** We almost got blown up because I was dumb and accepted a package from a stranger. Rex saved us, though.

__******** _ _

_He comes back to the present. Trixie just shakes her head._

__******** _ _

**Trixie:** Before all that happened – just before we locked eyes for the first time.  
**Speed, thinking:** … OH! 

__******** _ _

_They both have a flashback again. Trixie has just punched another girl. There is a close-up of the girl._

__******** _ _

**Speed [V.O.]:** You punched someone, right?  
**Trixie [V.O.]:** More correctly, I punched the most popular girl in school because she called you a retard, among other names. Do you know who that was?  
**Speed [V.O.]:** No? 

__************ ** ** _ _

_They come back to the present. Trixie is grinning like a cat._

__************ ** ** _ _

**Trixie:** That was none other than _Lovelace Goldminter._  
**Speed, laughing:** You _punched_ her?!  
**Trixie:** I’ll happily do it again if she comes after you!  
**Speed, shaking his head fondly:** I hope it doesn’t come to that. I’ll see you in the morning! I love you!

__************ ** ** _ _

_We cut to the exterior shadow house once more._

__************ ** ** _ _

**Trixie [V.O.]:** I love you too!

__************ ** ** _ _

_Lightning strikes again and we cut to inside the study. Unlike last time, it’s better lit this time, and Mr Goldminter and a woman are visible. A gun is on the desk now. The woman is **Lovelace [Eva Green],** and she is Goldminter’s only child. She’s dressed in a dark purple and pink racing outfit, toying with some gum. We cut to above everyone as a man walks in. We cut again to see that it’s SHADOW 2, better known as **Andrew Salamanca [Robert Pattinson].** He is one of the bodyguards, and also a criminal. He’s not pleased._

__********__** ** ** ** _ _

**Andrew:** We have unfortunately failed in killing Hikari, and she’s too well guarded to try again.  
**Lovelace:** Told you I should’ve gone, daddy.  
**Goldminter:** And I told you that you’d get yourself recognised.

__********__** ** ** ** _ _

_Someone else enters behind Andrew. This is SHADOW 3, better known as **Victoria Diamante [Carrie-Anne Moss].** She is the true mastermind behind this plot, and is secretly planning on killing Speed Racer herself, not that anyone knows that, including her ‘allies’. She’s wearing full leather [as a homage to her character Trinity from the Matrix]._

__********__** ** ** ** _ _

**Victoria:** Honestly, I’m not surprised you failed, Andrew. You may be a good killer, but you’re terrible at hitting agents.  
**Andrew:** She was in _black!_ What else was I supposed to do?  
**Victoria:** Try shooting _Speed Racer! He was **right there!**_  
**Andrew: _I WOULD’VE IF THE CIB HADN’T ARRIVED!_**

__********____ ** ** ** ** _ _

_Goldminter rolls his eyes, casually loads the gun with a blank and shoots upwards, cutting to a shot of the two stopping the argument. We cut back to Goldminter. ___

__********______ _ _ ** ** ** ** _ _

**Goldminter:** I don’t know why I didn’t do that before, it’s so much more effective than yelling.

__********______ _ _ ** ** ** ** _ _

_We cut to both Andrew and Victoria look away out of annoyance. Goldminter sits up straighter._

__********______ _ _ ** ** ** ** _ _

**Goldminter:** The first rally is in six days. Andrew, Victoria, you’re Lovelace’s backup. Take out anyone you can, but _especially _try to take out Speed. He can’t go underwater, so try and drown him. If possible, perhaps try and kill him before the race. Understood?  
**All three:** Yes sir!__

__********______ _ _ ** ** ** ** _ _

_We fade to black as they salute..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters will be irregular length, just so you're completely aware.


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO THE FIRST RACE!

_… Before cutting to a shot of a plane. It appears to be a Boeing 747, not that it matters, as it’s a CIB plane. In the sealed first class, the Racer family, Racer X, the two Togokahn siblings, Taejo and **Horuko [Yu Nan],** the inspector and Minx (who, despite being in a wheelchair, made it on the plane). She has a holographic screen up._

**Minx:** Okay, Hangul, not much has changed with you, but we have fitted grip tires and saws at your request. Shooting Star is unchanged. Mach 5, though, has an important change – due to them becoming obsolete with the new saws in place, the wheel shields have been replaced with a new underwater mode or, as we call it, Amphibious Mode. We’re considering rewiring some of the buttons to better match the names, but we’ll likely do that after the multi-rally is finished. Any questions?  
**Sparky:** How does this new mode work?  
**Minx:** We installed a tank that’ll last up to one or two hours depending on the amount of passengers, and the windshield will completely seal off once the assigned button is pressed.

_Everyone nods in understanding. Minx, sensing that the presentation is over, shuts down the hologram. We cut to Speed, who’s wearing a red blazer over white jeans, and Trixie, who’s wearing a formal dress. Why?_

**Speed:** I _hate_ welcoming parties, it means I have to wear _this_ suit again, and we _still_ haven’t found a fabric I like.  
**Trixie:** I’ll distract you, then. A Button is for?  
**Speed:** Aerojacks.  
**Trixie:** B Button?  
**Speed:** Bulletproof canopy.  
**Trixie:** C?  
**Speed:** Used to be wheel shields, now replaced by the underwater mode.  
**Trixie, as the camera pans away:** D Button…?

_They continue talking as we pan to where Minx is now next to Racer X… who is still masked._

**Minx, whispering:** You look worried.  
**X, murmuring back:** He’s nineteen this year. I don’t think I’m comfortable with my little brother doing this.  
**Minx:** He survived the Crucible, and he’ll survive this. Have some faith.  
**Inspector, from behind them:** Be glad that the family’s distracted; otherwise I’d throw you both in the brig for breach of identity. 

********

_We pan over to where Taejo is shifting restlessly in his seat, on the other aisle. Horuko is just looking tired, even in her fur coat._

********

**Horuko, deadpan:** Don’t like planes, do you?  
**Taejo:** I can’t help it! I’m _excited!_ This is probably the biggest rally _ever!_  
**Horuko, raising an eyebrow:** You _are_ aware what’s at stake, right?  
**Taejo:** Yep! But I’m excited!  
**Speed [O.S.]:** Taejo! Catch!

************ ** **

************ ** **

_A small plastic container lands on Taejo’s head. He glares in the direction of Speed, who can be heard laughing offscreen. The container has a message, and it reads: **‘I’M THE BOSS NOW‘.** The message causes Taejo to glare in the direction again and making him throw the container back. We whip around to see it hit its mark._

******__** ** **

**Speed:** Ow! Okay, I deserved that.  
**Spritle, poking his head over the seats:** Haha! Your prank backfired! You’re a good driver, but pranks were never your forte!  
**Chim-Chim:** _(laughing incessantly)_  
**Mom:** Quit teasing your brother, or neither of you is getting candy for a _week._

******__** ** **

_They shut up immediately. Everyone does._

******__** ** **

**Minx:** Holy cannoli, Mrs Racer, you’re _scary._

******__** ** **

_X chokes on his words, eventually getting out—_

******__** ** **

**X:** You’re an agent!  
**Minx:** Never doubt the voice of a mother, X!  
**Sparky after a pan:** Amen to that!

******__** ** **

_We quickly pan over to the cockpit door._

******__** ** **

**Pops, coming from the cockpit:** What on earth happened here?

******__** ** **

_We pan over to Speed._

******__** ** **

**Speed:** I have no idea, but something tells me this race is going to be a hell of a lot of fun. _To the Brisbane rally!_

******__** ** **

_Everyone cheers, although X looks like he has a headache instead._

******__** ** **

_We skip the welcoming party entirely, and instead swipe to the family arriving at the hotel after the party finishes. The Mach 5 and another car (only two can fit in the 5) pull up to the hotel and a normal (yes, normal) chauffeur takes the car to the garage after everyone and everything is out. The whole family is exhausted, in stark contrast to their excitement earlier._

******__** ** **

**Trixie:** Who knew that parties could be so _tiring?_  
**Speed:** Me, I knew that. Okay, humour me Mom, where the rooms?  
**Mom, looking at her schedule, sounding confused:** Upstairs?

******__** ** **

_Everyone gives her a withering look. Luckily, another man appears. This is actually **CIB Agent Thomas Prince [John Cho],** although he works also as a concierge._

******__** ** **

**Thomas:** Welcome to the Kilter Hotel. You’re the Racer family, correct?  
**Pops:** Yeah.  
**Thomas:** Excellent. You’re the fifth group to arrive tonight. We’ll take your luggage. Come with me, please.

******_******** _ ** ** **

_We cut to Thomas opening the door to the suite, before we rapidly zoom out to see a luxurious room. Pops lets out a low whistle. They quickly run in and the camera jumps to each character as they take in everything._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**Sparky, inspecting the table:** Holy cannoli!  
**Trixie, in the middle of the room:** It’s _huge!_  
**Speed, opening a door:** I found my room!  
**Spritle and Chim-Chim: _ROOM SERVICE!_** _[Spritle holds up a menu]_  
**Mom:** No candy until tomorrow, you two!  
**Pops, admiring the room from the back:** This is one hell of a room.  
**Thomas:** I’m glad you like it. Your luggage will arrive shortly. Will you need anything?  
**Speed:** Thank you for your concern, but I think this’ll do just fine.

******_******** _ ** ** **

_Thomas smiles and leaves the room. We blur-pan over to Pops._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**Pops:** Okay everyone, time for bed. We need our sleep. The testing of the Mach 5 is tomorrow, and then the rally begins the day after. Speed, you’re going to need to go over the route with Trixie tomorrow, as well.  
**Speed [O.S.]:** Okay Pops! Goodnight everyone!

******_******** _ ** ** **

_We cut to a view of the hotel room from the balcony, as everyone finds their respective rooms._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**Everyone:** Goodnight!

******_******** _ ** ** **

_The lights switch out and we pan over to the garage. Racer X has just arrived, and while Minx and the inspector head for their already-booked rooms, he stays behind. Moments later, Thomas appears._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**Thomas:** Old habits die hard, huh Rex?  
**X:** I’ve told you not to call me that, but you’ve never bothered listening. Explains why you’re a concierge.

******_******** _ ** ** **

_Thomas rolls his eyes. X sighs._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**X:** Fine, old habits _do_ die rather hard.  
**Thomas:** Thought so. Your brother’s doing just fine. He just needs to sleep now.  
**X:** Thank you for looking out for him.  
**Thomas:** Anything to help. You really need to tell them.

******_******** _ ** ** **

_X scoffs._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**X:** With _this_ face?  
**Thomas:** Screw you, Rex; I’m not awake enough to have this conversation. Come on, you need sleep as much as your brother. 

******_******** _ ** ** **

_As they walk off-screen, we see Andrew watching from behind a bush. Thomas has just inadvertently given away something that’s new to him. He immediately turns on a radio._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**Andrew:** This is Andrew, come in boss.  
**Victoria [O.S., radio]:** Boss is asleep.  
**Andrew:** Look, I just found out something interesting. _Rex Racer is **alive!**_

******_******** _ ** ** **

_We don’t hear Victoria’s reaction, because it cuts abruptly to black. We instead dawn on a new day, and soon see the Mach 5, the Hangul and the Shooting Star barrelling down a testing track. All three are here to test their abilities. Up in the observer’s box, Sparky is watching with increasing excitement._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**Sparky:** Speed, go any faster and you’ll break something _other than your tires!_  
**Speed [O.S., radio], laughing:** Well aware, Sparky, but Taejo isn’t giving me any room!  
**Taejo [O.S, radio]:** Oh shaddup, you _like_ how fast we’re going.  
**X [O.S., radio]:** Don’t bicker, children.  
**Taejo:** I’m _twenty-seven_ in a few months!  
**X:** Still a child in my eyes.

******_******** _ ** ** **

_Speed can be heard laughing, before we cut to as he effortlessly executes a jump over both the Shooting Star and the Hangul. We cut between the three drivers as they each talk in turn._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**Taejo:** Be glad I’m not dumb enough to try that punch X did in the desert.  
**Speed:** You have to admit that punch was iconic, though.  
**X:** I do not need this ego boost…  
**Speed:** Hey, Minx? How do we test the new function?  
**Minx [O.S., radio]:** We did that in the lab, and we need to keep it a surprise to your enemies in case you get forced into the Pacific Ocean on the way up to Cairns!  
**Speed, nodding in understanding:** Ah… Hey, Trix, I know you’re in the tower, what’s the plan?  
**Trixie [O.S., radio]:** A couple of dirt roads, a hover-road and a final mad dash to Cairns (she mispronounces Cairns).  
**Sparky:** It’s _Cairns (he pronounces it correctly)._  
**Trixie:** _Oh._  
**Speed:** Oh yeah, I forgot Sparky was Australian.  
**Pops [O.S., radio]:** Focus on the testing Speed.  
**Taejo [O.S., radio]:** Heads up, Racer!

******_******** _ ** ** **

_We cut to as Taejo leaps over the Mach 5. The Shooting Star pulls off the track briefly, before obstacles appear in the path of the two remaining cars, which they cut down with ease._

******_******** _ ** ** **

_We quickly cut and pan over to a corner of the stadium, where Victoria is waiting on top. She’s posing as a CIB agent, and soon loads a sniper rifle. Her aim trails on Speed Racer for several seconds, before she moves to fire. Unfortunately for her, her plan is foiled when Speed closes the canopy and the bullet strikes off, causing him to slam the brakes._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**Speed:** SHOOTER!

******_******** _ ** ** **

_We pan over to Racer X who, having seen the shooter, is immediately in pursuit in the Shooting Star._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**X:** Stay here! I’ll get the shooter!  
**Speed [O.S., radio]:** Are you sure you can handle them on your own?  
**X:** Speed, I’m a trained agent. You’re a teenager.  
**Speed:** I know, but you’re a close friend of mine. I don’t want to lose you like I lost Rex.

******_******** _ ** ** **

_We quickly cut to where Pops and Mom are both grimacing. Thankfully, Spritle and Chim-Chim have stayed back at the hotel, and thus don’t hear that, but everyone else has. We see Taejo realise abruptly what’s just happened, before we cut back to the Shooting Star giving chase to Victoria’s car. They chase through the streets of Brisbane until they reach the outer suburbs, where X manages to shoot out Victoria’s tires and send her into a ditch. She soon gets out and begins firing, X firing back, while civilians scramble for cover. The moment she’s out of bullets, she grabs a knife instead and they begin a power struggle. X has the strength, but Victoria has the skill, and they’re constantly rolling. There’s a lot of tension there and none of it will be sexual, just chaotic and angry. Eventually, Victoria gains the upper hand._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**Victoria:** I should’ve just finished the job instead of that stupid Benelli! Of _course_ you faked your death, _Rex Racer!_ New face, yes, but same stupid brother! Benelli – and the rest of the world – believed you dead, but thanks to your idiot friend at the hotel, now we know you’re alive!  
**X/Rex:** _[As he struggles against the knife.]_ It’s not worth anything to you if an identity is alive or dead, I’m not letting you hurt Speed!

******_******** _ ** ** **

_Neither of them realise that this conversation is being broadcast over the radio. Speed has completely frozen up on the raceway. So have Mom and Pops, Sparky and Trixie. All of them have tears and shock on their faces. Taejo, the only one who’s semi-unaffected by everything, guns up the Hangul and charges out into the streets. Just as it looks like X/Rex is going to be stabbed, someone apparently shooting a gun abruptly distracts Victoria._

******_******** _ ** ** **

**Victoria:** You get lucky here, _both of you! ___

******_****____ ** ** _ ** ** **

_She abruptly disappears into thin air. X/Rex looks up to see that Taejo had driven up nearby and was forcibly causing his engine to backfire in a specific way that imitated gunfire. We cut to black…_

******_****____ ** ** _ ** ** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUUUUUN (drama time!)


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Editing is a pain, so this is several months late. I apologise. I also apologise for the beginning of the mangling of how plastic surgery works. Welcome to the actual first race! But first, EMOTIONS!

_… Before cutting to outside a soundproofed room. The family, still in mild shock (though being treated by a doctor) are watching as the Inspector and X/Rex argue. It’s clear that they’ve been doing this a while. Minx is here as well, along with Horuko. Eventually, Speed speaks—_

**Speed:** He _lied_ to me.  
**Minx:** His only goal in life half the time is to make sure you are all safe. With the world unaware that he’s alive, Rex was able to make certain nobody came after you because of him.  
**Horuko:** This will sound bad, but what about the rally?  
**Pops:** I have no idea. It’s too late to pull out.  
**Taejo:** … _How did his face get changed?_  
**Minx:** A special form of plastic surgery. It’s reversible, but Rex didn’t want to reverse it, since he’s legally dead.  
**Sparky:** Well, at least only a few people heard the whole fight. The civilians ran too far away to hear.  
**Trixie:** Guns are illegal here. I don’t blame them.  
**Speed, his voice breaking:** _I still can’t believe he lied to me at Thunderhead!_

_Everyone looks at him as he buries his face in his hands and the family all hugs him. Taejo and Horuko join in after a moment. We cut to a shot of Mom looking to Pops._

**Mom, quietly** : What are we going to tell Spritle?

_We cut to see that Pops has no response, and is saved from having to answer by the arrival of the inspector and X/Rex, who is now without his mask from the room. X/Rex looks defeated. Thomas is seen just behind the door, also looking defeated._

**Inspector:** There’s nothing we can really do now except make certain that this doesn’t get out before either of you are ready.  
**Speed, voice still wobbly:** We won’t _ever_ be ready.

_X/Rex flinches. Mom makes no comment, but she can see the tears in his eyes. Eventually, though, she says—_

**Mom:** I think Rex and Speed need time to talk about this on their own. They were very close before Rex left.

_Everyone else agrees, and the inspector leads the two brothers to a different room with beanbags. The family leaves them alone, as well as Taejo and Horuko. Soon, it’s just them in the soundproofed room. There’s just silence between them for a moment. The shot continues changing between them and a shot from behind._

**X/Rex:** I owe you a _lot_ of explanations and apologies, Speedy.

_Speed flinches and buries his head again. X/Rex grimaces._

**X/Rex:** Sorry.  
**Speed:** S’okay. Just haven’t heard anyone call me that in ten years.  
**X/Rex:** I screwed up the moment I left, didn’t I?  
**Speed:** Probably. After I came back from Thunderhead after you talked to me, Pops confessed that he _also_ messed up by arguing with you, instead of trying to see your point of view. Rex, _why did you lie to me?_

_X/Rex is silent for a moment._

**X/Rex:** Fear, mostly, and the fact that I was using another face. I’m so sorry I did but… if I hadn’t… I don’t think you would’ve believed me. Worst-case scenario, I could’ve sent you to hospital out of shock.  
**Speed:** Why did you fake your death?  
**X/Rex:** Blackjack Benelli stopped at nothing to get rid of me, once I began working with the CIB and realised how messed up the racing world was. I had to fake my death because he threatened you, and I knew that Rex Racer had to die so that you wouldn’t be harmed.  
**Speed:** Big brother instinct. I get that around Spritle.  
**X/Rex:** Aye, but _taken to the elevens._ I regretted it the moment I spied on the funeral, but I decided at that point that the mistakes I made would be mine to deal with. I didn’t know up until recently that this plastic surgery is reversible, after all, so I just decided ‘yep I’m stuck with this’. I’m sorry I did _any_ of that, from the moment I ran away from home to join a company I decidedly didn’t even _like._ I hurt you, I hurt Mom and Pops, I’ve hurt Trixie and Sparky and a little brother I’ve never even met as Rex. I’ve well and truly screwed up, and _[his voice breaks]_ I’m so sorry I hurt you all like that.

_Speed turns in surprise and sees that his brother is beginning to cry._

**Speed:** Rex… _[His voice breaks again] Rex…_

_They both cry for a while, before eventually Speed, while hiccupping, wipes his eyes and holds out his hand. Rex glances at it as he wipes his own tears._

**Speed:** It’s going to take a little while for me to trust you fully again, but I am _not_ losing my brother again because of some punks. Brothers?  
**Rex:** Brothers. Always.  
**Speed:** Swear on the Mach 5?  
**Rex:** I swear, and I also swear I’m going to throw you in a pool if you make me do that again.  
**Speed, with a wet giggle:** Hey, she’s my car now!

_They shake hands, but just end up pulling each other into a tight hug. Their bond, while not completely fixed, has been renewed._

**Rex, internally:** If that bitch Victoria tries that again, she is going to _**pay.**_

_We cut away from the happy brothers to the family, who see their makeup on livestream and everyone begins crying._

**Taejo, blubbering:** _Why am I crying?_  
**Horuko, calmer but also crying:** Because you’re a sap now that you’re getting therapy.  
**Pops:** I need to apologise to Rex!  
**Mom:** You do indeed, honey.  
**Inspector, the only one not crying but emotional nonetheless:** I’ll start making plans for his return to the spotlight as soon as this multi-rally is over. In the meantime, though… 

_We cut to black._

**Inspector:** We’ve got races to win.

_We cut to white fireworks as we open on a blue sky, panning down to the **Starting Line!** This is the beginning of the Gazelle Multi-Rally! Though masquerading as Racer X, Rex and Speed have already decided to work closely as a team, while Taejo will act as their wildcard. Spritle is still unaware that his brother is Racer X, due to everyone wanting to focus on the race. Everyone’s in the pits at the moment, though. Sparky shuts the hood of the Mach 5._

**Sparky:** The Mach 5 and Shooting Star are both primed to go, still waiting for Horuko to finish on the Hangul.

_We pan to Horuko as she shuts the hood of the Hangul. She is a surprisingly good mechanic._

**Horuko:** Ready for the race!

_We pan to Speed, Rex and Taejo all hunching over the planned route._

**Speed:** There’s no way in hell it’s standard, but this route is pretty easy. Even if we don’t win this race, a position in the top twenty will guarantee us entry to the next rally.  
**Taejo:** Be mindful of the hover road over the ocean cliffs – only one of us has a waterproof car.  
**Rex:** Good luck, everyone. Remember: _avoid Lovelace at all costs._ GO Team is ready to, well, go!

_Speed and Taejo cheer, just as the ‘all drivers to your cars’ signal is given. The cars taxi to their starting positions, while the family (and others) hops into Trixie’s helicopter. Just twenty seconds later, with a shot of each driver, the race begins with the starting gun firing! **BANG!**_

_We cut to a shot of one of the commentators, **Johnny ‘Goodboy’ Jones [Melvil Poupad]** as he and another commentator **Ingrid ‘Powercell’ Princeton [Octavia Spencer]** watch from above._

**Johnny:** This is certainly shaping up to be one hell of a race, Ingrid!  
**Ingrid:** It certainly is, Johnny! I can see Speed Racer already pulling ahead with his new GO Team, but Lovelace Goldminter isn’t far behind with Vickie Sanders on her tail! I expect to see Snake Oiler pull up soon, as well, so get ready to see some _vipers!_

_We see a shot of the cars in question as they race up one of the dirt roads. Obviously, there aren’t any tricks at first, but once they get out of the city, all bets are off. Several nondescript cars are smashed, either by each other or by Victoria. Andrew crashes **very** shortly into the race due to Lovelace, and we cut to him screaming angrily as his Kwiksave activates. We cut to Victoria and Lovelace arguing over a splitscreen and over the radio._

**Victoria:** Damn it, Lovelace! You just crashed Andrew!  
**Lovelace:** I didn’t plan on it!  
**Speed [O.S., radio]:** Ladies? I don’t particularly care about you, but you’re broadcasting on every frequency.

_We cut to a shot of Speed streaming far ahead with Rex and Taejo on his trail. We cut to Taejo._

**Taejo:** _Sayonara, koshinuke. [There’s a subtitle that says: Farewell, coward. The Japanese is probably not correct.]_

_We hear Speed’s laughter over the radio, before we cut to Rex holding his head in one hand. We cut to Lovelace looking **furious.**_

**Lovelace:** He just called me a coward!  
**?? [O.S., radio]:** About time someone did.

_We see a shot of none other than **Snake Oiler [Christian Oliver]** driving past._

**Snake:** I’ve got a _rat_ to take care of, so leave the driving to a real racecar driver instead of some _billionaire’s kid!_

_Lovelace looks offended as Snake O pulls ahead, obviously aiming for Speed._

_We cut to the family in the helicopter._

**Trixie:** Snake Oiler, six o’clock!  
**Speed [O.S., radio]:** What? How?  
**Sparky, shrugging:** Beats me.  
**Taejo [O.S., radio]:** Leave him to me.  
**Sparky:** Oh yeah, and you’ve got Vickie behind you as well.

_Speed groans, and we cut to him going from over the radio to him in person as he does so._

**Speed:** Newbies! X, do we know anything about this Vickie?  
**Rex [O.S., radio]:** Unfortunately not, but she’s coming after me, so I’ll see if I can figure out what weapons she might have.

_**BANG!** One of Speed’s tires suddenly goes flat! We get a shot of Johnny. ___

____

**Johnny:** _Speed Racer has a blowout!_  
**Speed:** _I THINK I FOUND ONE OF THEM!_ _[He presses the A and D button, one after another, in order to jump and reinflate the tire, and manages to maintain his lead while also scaring Snake]_

____

_We cut to Vickie/Victoria angrily punching her dash._

____

**Victoria:** Damn it! I missed!  
**Lovelace [O.S., radio]:** Victoria, it’s too early to take out Speed! We can get him with the electropulse near the cliffs!  
**Victoria:** _I don’t care!_  
**Lovelace:** Jeez, you really _do_ want to kill him!

____

_We cut to Taejo, who’s been hanging back slightly._

____

**Taejo:** I think I just heard the word ‘electropulse’. That doesn’t sound good.  
Rex [O.S., radio]: Another weapon, most likely. 

____

_We cut to Speed in the Mach 5._

____

**Speed:** I’ll be ready.

____

_We cut to Rex._

____

**Rex:** If they use it, I think it’ll disable the Kwiksave. Be careful, Speedy.  
**Speed [O.S., radio]:** I will. I promise. Taejo, keep out of the way, okay?  
**Taejo [O.S., radio]:** Aye. I’ll get Snake, instead.  
**Speed:**

____

_We cut to a back-shot of Ingrid and Johnny watching the race._

____

**Ingrid:** We’re approaching one of the most dangerous parts of the race here, folks. These cliffs have claimed many lives in the past, and if anyone’s forced off the floating track, we’ll likely be fishing out Kwiksaves for _days._ Still, the GO Team are well in the lead, closely followed by Hydracell’s Snake Oiler, as well as Lovelace and Vickie.  
**Johnny:** Let’s just hope that this race doesn’t become the Crucible of Australia.

____

_We zoom back into the race, where Rex has taken the lead off of Speed, Taejo is duking it out with Snake and Speed is tailing the three of them. They tried to do otherwise, but the narrowness of the road is preventing any of them from moving positions. We cut to Victoria grinning evilly as she approaches Speed, before cutting to see Speed glancing in his mirror._

____

**Speed:** Here we go…

____

_We cut to Victoria activating something on her dashboard, before we see an electronic device zip out and attach to a part that activates the Kwiksave! It electrocutes the car!_

____

**Speed:** I’m hit!  
**Spritle [O.S., radio]:** That cheater just hit the Mach 5!  
**Trixie [O.S., radio]:** Speed, are you okay?!  
**Rex [O.S., radio]:** Get out of there, Speed!

********** **

____

********** **

_Victoria doesn’t give him a chance and, brutally, smashes the Mach 5 into the ocean! She cackles incessantly, while everyone gasps and Rex yells—_

********** **

____

********** **

**Rex: _SPEED!_**  
_Cut to—_  
**Johnny:** S***! Vickie has just thrown the Mach 5 into the Pacific, and there’s no sign of the Kwiksave!  
**Ingrid:** Search and rescue is inbound—never mind! I just saw something move in the water!

********** **

____

********** **

_Suddenly, the Mach 5 lurches out of the sea, sealed in a watertight chamber and **leaps** back onto the course, in front of Rex!_

********** **

____

********** **

**Victoria: _NO! HOW?!_**  
**Lovelace [O.S., radio]: _HOW DID HE SURVIVE THAT?!_**

********** **

____

********** **

_We cut to Speed laughing in exhilaration._

********** **

____

********** **

**Speed:** Thank you, Minx! You just saved my life – again!  
**Minx [O.S., radio]:** It was my pleasure, Speed.  
**Pops [O.S., radio]:** Speed, one of these days, you’re going to give me a heart attack.  
**Rex [O.S., radio]:** I’ve already had three…  
**Speed:** Sorry…

********** **

____

********** **

_We cut to Johnny and Ingrid in their studio._

********** **

____

********** **

**Ingrid:** What a race! It’s clear to see who’s winning this round, however, as Speed Racer and his GO Team are far enough ahead that not even an electropulse can stop them now!  
**Johnny:** It’s pretty clear to see that not everyone is happy, though, as Snake Oiler is falling behind the team fast and Vickie and Lovelace are _both_ looking murderous.  
**Ingrid:** Let’s just hope that the GO Team’s luck holds out for the second rally, up in Greenland.

********** **

____

********** **

_We cut to the three GO Team cars pulling in easily to the finish line. Fans are already crowding around them as the three drivers leap out, Speed having led them to the finish._

********** **

____

********** **

**Speed, pumping one fist:** _Mach Go-Go! Mach Go-Go!_  
**Taejo, also pumping one fist:** _Mach Go-Go! Mach Go-Go!_  
**Rex, rolling his eyes with a faint smile:** Mach Go-Go, Mach Go-Go.  
**Speed:** WOOOO!! _[He embraces them both in a side hug.]_ WE WON THE FIRST RALLY!!!!  
**Taejo:** HELL YEAH WE DID!  
**Rex:** I’d yell, but I’m in character.

********** **

____

********** **

We cut away from the fans beginning to surround the trio… 

********** **

____

********** **


	4. Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hehe, I might as well edit a few more chapters. Speed finds out that people are trying to kill him, the second race happens, and Spritle gets grounded.

_… to later in the evening. The cars have just been flown back to the hotel and the gang is celebrating, up until the inspector arrives with Minx. We cut to Rex greeting them both._

**Rex:** Inspector, Minx.  
**Inspector:** I trust you’ve been enjoying your win?  
**Rex:** We have indeed. Anything wrong?

_Minx walks into the room with an information sheet. Speed swallows his drink (it’s probably soft drink, since he’s not US-legal yet) and picks it up. He almost drops it again._

**Speed:** You think Vickie was the woman who tried to shoot me at the test track?  
**Minx:** Not think. We _know_ it. We managed to grab a profile of her face before she left the stadium, and it matches up to a well-known criminal known as Victoria.  
**Sparky:** Heh, that’s the name of my home state.  
**Minx:** She’s after _you_ Speed, and we still can’t figure out entirely why. It’s clear that she’s working for Goldminter due to previous sightings of them together, but she’s working with her _own_ agenda. 

_There’s silence. We cut to shots of each member of the family and others; they’re all horrified by the news. We eventually cut back to Speed._

**Speed:** So this is going to be like the Grand Prix again? With someone after me at every turn?  
**Minx:** Worse, because guns are more effective than spearhooks.

_We cut to sometime later. Speed is sitting on his bed. Everyone else has gone to bed, except for Rex and Trixie, who both come to see if he’s okay. Trixie sits next to him and takes his hand, while Rex takes a chair._

**Rex:** You okay, Speedy?

_There’s a pause._

**Speed:** I don’t know. I just found out someone’s not just trying to stop me, but also trying to _kill_ me. If Minx hadn’t installed the underwater mode, I would’ve _drowned._ She’ll probably try again in Greenland and South America as well. What do we do?!  
**Taejo [O.S.]:** What you guys always do: Persevere, no matter the consequences.

_We pan to see Taejo standing at the door, as he comes and squats near them, before cutting back to the shot of all four of them._

**Trixie:** Speed, the last time I saw you like this was just before Casa Cristo, and the Grand Prix. We succeeded in winning _both_ those races. What’s stopping us from doing it again?

_Speed is silent for a moment, but soon he comes to a realisation._

**Speed:** Trixie, I love you, okay? I love _all_ of you guys – well, maybe not _Taejo_ just yet. _[Taejo snorts]_ You’re right. We’re two brothers, a badass lady and a wildcard. We can do _anything._ We just need to be careful about it.  
**Rex:** Aye. GO Team?  
**All of them: _MACH GO-GO!_**

_The music swells, but then it abruptly stops when Trixie realises—_

**Trixie:** Wait, where’s Spritle? I haven’t seen him since the race.

_All of them freeze up, and run to check Spritle’s room. It’s empty._

**Speed: _MOM! POPS!_**

_We cut to another part of the area, in a hotel not far from the hotel the families are staying at._

_This is where Lovelace and Victoria are meeting with Mr Goldminter. Above them, though, is Thomas. Unbeknownst to all, however, Spritle and Chim-Chim have arrived._

**Spritle, whispering:** That’s the lady who electrocuted the Mach 5. She’s working with Goldminter, all right!

_Chim-Chim just makes his usual noises. How Thomas and the bad guys don’t notice them is beyond their comprehension._

**Goldminter:** Victoria, I told you specifically _not_ to use your gun. I don’t care that you hate Speed; _I wanted this to look like an accident._  
**Victoria:** You don’t know what he’s done!  
**Lovelace:** Oh shut up, you hag. What, did he reject you for school prom or something?  
**Victoria:** Miss Goody-Two-Shoes, _I’m eight years older than him!_ No, he did something far worse, but since you’re being so _rude,_ I’m not telling you.  
**Goldminter:** Quiet, both of you. We have enough trouble on our hands knowing that Rex Racer is on Speed’s team. He’s going to be just as much trouble to get rid of as his brother.  
**Lovelace:** What do you want us to do?  
**Goldminter:** Kidnap them both once we get to South America, or at least try to ram them off the track. Speed may have an underwater mode—

_We cut to a zoom on Spritle’s face as he looks on in horror._

**Goldminter [O.S.]:** But that won’t save him in the lava fields!

_We do one of those cool transitions to high above the Greenland rally, where the helicopter is hovering above the GO Team. They once again have the lead._

**Spritle [O.S., radio]:** I’m telling you guys – I saw Goldminter talking with Lovelace and Victoria! Victoria has something against Speed and they’re both going to try and take him out of the race!  
**Mom:** You still snuck out last night, though – that’s why you’re watching the race on TV instead of in person.  
**Spritle:** I said I was sorry!  
**Trixie:** Never mind that now – Speed, Snake’s on your tail again!  
**Speed [O.S., radio]:** I see him!  
**Rex [O.S., radio]:** And I’ve got him.  
**Taejo [O.S., radio]:** And I forgot to eat breakfast!  
**Mom:** Taejo, you’ll find granola bars in that compartment under your seat.

_We cut to a shot of Snake’s car being totalled by the Shooting Star._

**Snake: _ARE YOU KIDDING MEEEEEEEE—_** _[He Kwiksaves]_

_We cut to Rex whooping._

**Rex:** That’s _one_ nuisance down!

_We cut to Speed, grimly smiling as he sees Victoria and Lovelace closing in._

**Speed:** Two to go. I don’t think they can stop us here, though. The finish line is just a hundred kilometres ahead.

_Slide to—_

**Taejo:** Wow, _that_ was surprisingly easy.

_Slide to—_

**Rex:** Watch out, they’re trying to knock us into the lava fields.  
**Speed:** I’d say this is illegal, but doesn’t Kapetapek have a race like this?  
**Rex:** Yep – straight through the heart of an active volcano. Lovelace’s on your left, by the way.

_The Mach 5 effortlessly leaps over Lovelace’s car. She angrily hits her steering wheel. We cut to Speed grinning._

**Speed:** And Victoria’s on your left.

_The Shooting Star also effortlessly leaps over Victoria’s car and it stops, as if photographed. It has been, actually – a newspaper appears around the border. We zoom in to the headline: **GO Team triumphs once again! Will they finish the Gazelle, though?**_

_We then zoom out to find that Sparky is reading the paper on the flight to South America. In front of him, Spritle is complaining to Chim-Chim._

**Spritle:** I give them good info, and they ban me from the second race! Chim-Chim, if you even _think_ about making us escape again, I’m throwing you in the nearest trashcan.

_Chim-Chim just rolls his eyes. Speed, next to them, also rolls his eyes._

**Speed:** There’s a reason why it was an _agent_ watching the meeting, Spritle. If you’d been seen, you could’ve been seriously hurt. You scared us.  
**Spritle:** Can I ask you a question?  
**Speed, confused:** Sure?  
**Spritle:** Is it true that Racer X is our older brother Rex? And that he’s racing with us?

_Everyone freezes. Both Speed and Rex wince._

**Speed, looking away:** Yes.  
**Spritle:** Was he trying to protect us?  
**Rex [O.S.]:** I was. [We cut to him] It’s a long story.  
**Speed:** A pretty painful one, too, but that doesn’t matter anymore. We have two more races to win. And if this Victoria and Goldminter are trying to tear our family apart? 

_We cut to black._

**Speed [V.O.]:** We’ll be ready for them.


	5. Part 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DRAMA~! Also, complete disregard for how plastic surgery goes, simply because Scott Porter. Sorry, Matthew Fox.

_We cut to Mom knocking on a hotel door. It’s morning, two days before the third qualifier. If GO Team wins this qualifier, then they’ll be eligible to participate in the final rally._

**Mom:** Speed? Honey, I know it’s early, but Pops wants to make sure the Mach 5 is fully recovered for the race tomorrow… Speed?

_We cut to a shot of Mom opening the door from behind. She immediately gasps._

**Mom:** SPEED’S GONE!  
**Everyone [O.S.]: _WHAT?!_**

_The room is in disarray. It’s clear that some form of fight happened here. We soon hear Spritle exclaim—_

**Spritle [O.S.]: _REX IS MISSING TOO!_**  
**Taejo [O.S.]:** I’ll call the inspector! Damn it, Horuko told me this would happen but I didn’t think to believe her! _WHY DIDN’T I INSIST ON HER COMING ON OUR FLIGHT?!_  
**Trixie [O.S.]: _SPEED!_**

****

_We cut to black, then to several minutes later as the family sits around the table with the others._

****

**Inspector:** This is my fault. I should’ve had more security on the doors. And backup will take _six hours_ to get here.  
**Pops:** Let’s not play this game, because we’ll never get anything done.  
**Spritle:** Wait, how bad was the fight in Speed’s room?  
**Sparky:** Bad, why?

****

_Spritle gets up from the table and runs over to Speed’s room where he spots a trail of debris. Spyware. Since they’re on the first floor, he can easily follow it._

****

**Spritle:** I think we can follow this! Come on, Chim-Chim! _[He climbs out the window with Chim-Chim in tow.]_  
**Mom [O.S.]:** Spritle, come back here!  
**Trixie [O.S.]:** I’ll go with him!  
**Inspector [O.S.]:** Miss Shimura, you’re not an agent!

****

_We cut to see Trixie grabbing Rex’s gun from his room._

****

**Trixie:** Maybe, but backup isn’t coming for at least six hours. That woman has my boyfriend and his brother. I’m not letting her hurt them.

****

_We cut to black again, before a light is switched on in a dark room. Speed is lying against a wall, unconscious and bruised. The fight he was in hurt. He stirs a little when the light switches on, before he hears a door opening and looks up to find Rex, head completely swaddled in bandages, getting dumped into the room by Andrew, who has a large bandage on his face. ___

**____ **

**Andrew:** Victoria told me to throw you, but those bandages need to stay in place for another two hours. Oh, and good morning to you, rat. My medic side is telling me to help you, but I won’t. Farewell.

**____ **

_He slams the door, and Speed winces._

**____ **

**Speed:** Rex?  
**Rex, in Scott Porter’s voice:** Ow.

**____ **

_A few tears fall down Speed’s face before he wipes them and asks—_

**____ **

**Speed:** What happened?  
**Rex:** We were kidnapped. They managed to drug both of us, and though we managed to try and fight, they got us. I think they put me through the plastic surgery reversal, because I can barely see, and I sound like my old self.  
**Speed:** Yeah, you’re bandaged up. What now?  
**Rex:** I don’t know. I can’t move, and I doubt you’re able to, so I guess we wait for rescue… I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect you.  
**Speed:** It’s fine. We do this for a living, after all.  
**Rex:** No, it’s not. I couldn’t keep you safe from a crazed woman and a billionaire.  
**Speed:** Rex, _it’s not the first time._ Royalton attacked us, too.  
**Rex:** Royalton didn’t have an insane henchwoman with a vendetta against you.  
**Speed:** Maybe, and I don’t know what _her_ problem is, but I know this: We’re going to get out of this and win the Gazelle, okay? No matter what you look like now, and no matter what Victoria thinks. 

**__******** _ _ **

_Rex is about to reply, but there’s an abrupt **slam** of the door as Victoria walks in._

**__******** _ _ **

**Victoria:** Well, if it isn’t my least favourite brothers in the world. I could’ve easily taken all three of you, but that kid is as restless as a dog wanting to walk. So I have to settle for my enemy and his brother.  
**Speed:** What do you want from us, Victoria? We’re just trying to win the race.  
**Victoria:** Your blood spilled, for one thing, and for another, to finally deal with the thorn in Goldminter’s side so that I can dispose of him.  
**Rex, realising:** You’re going to betray him.  
**Victoria:** I already have. The fool is looking for a _ransom._ Instead, I’m going to kill _both_ of you, and finally have my vengeance on you, Speed Racer!  
**Speed:** You haven’t even explained _why_ you want me dead, though!  
**Victoria:** Perhaps it’s about time I tell you my full name then. Victoria Taylor, daughter of former Grand Prix champion and former Hall of Fame contestant _Cannonball Taylor._ You ruined my father’s career!  
**Speed, quickly recovering from shock:** Your father ruined his career the moment he accepted Royalton’s spearhook! All I did was expose him!  
**Victoria:** My father is _penniless_ now, and stripped of all his titles! I cannot forgive what you’ve done to him, and thus I must have your _blood!_

**__******** _ _ **

_Victoria unsheathes a sharp, dangerous knife. Speed is stunned into silence. A pained look makes itself known in Rex’s eyes. He desperately yells out—_

**__******** _ _ **

**Rex:** Leave my brother alone!  
**Victoria:** Shut up, you insufferable _twit._ Now, to get rid of this _disgusting **rat-headed retard** forever!_  
**Unknown:** You know, I wouldn’t say that if I were you.

**__******** _ _ **

_**BANG!** A gunshot knocks the knife out of Victoria’s hands. She swivels around and growls angrily when the camera pans to reveal— ___

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

**Speed and Rex [O.S.]:** TRIXIE!  
**Trixie:** Sorry I’m late, superstar, Rex. Kind of wish you were our age so I could’ve punched you when I was younger, Victoria.

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

_We cut to a shot of both women._

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

**Victoria:** How the hell did you find me?!  
**Trixie:** Spritle and Chim-Chim. You guys left a long trail of spyware, so he followed it until the inspector was able to follow the tracks left by your car. I suggest you either surrender or prepare to fight, Victoria.  
**Victoria:** You’re not even an agent!  
**Trixie:** No, but I beat up a lot of people during Casa Cristo.

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

_They begin to fight, Trixie tossing away her gun to make it even. Victoria might have the skill, but Trixie has the power of a raging fire, because this bitch has hurt her sweet boyfriend, and she cannot forgive that. Speed and Rex can’t do anything but watch, until Rex gains the use of his arms and grabs the gun. The sound of brawling continues in the background as we cut to a close-up of the gun being checked._

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

**Rex:** These are all blanks. Speed, I’m going to fire this gun three times, because I believe the inspector will be nearby. _Cover yourself as best as possible._

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

_Cut to Speed looking confused._

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

**Speed:** Why?

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

_Cut to Rex loading the gun._

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

**Rex:** You’ll see. Cover!

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

_Speed covers his head just as Rex fires the gun three times in quick succession and there’s a loud **BOOM** that echoes through the area, leaving Trixie just enough time to cover herself before the echo takes down the walls and knocks Victoria off her feet. She’s quick to recover though, and growls—_

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

**Victoria:** See you at the race, you lucky _punk!_

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

_Before she sprints away, avoiding the inspector who sees her escaping and just shakes his head. There are several cuts between each character._

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

**Speed:** You’re not going to go after her, inspector?  
**Inspector:** No. The rules were written in a way that prevents us from arresting anyone due to race within two days. Are you both all right?  
**Rex:** Mostly. Bruised, yes, but otherwise fine.  
**Trixie:** Rex’s surgery got reversed.  
**Inspector:** So I see. And hear.  
**Speed:** When’s the race?  
**Inspector:** In three hours.  
**Speed:** This drug should wear off by then. Rex, we have a woman to take out. Trix, are you okay?

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

_Trixie gives him thumbs up._

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **

**Trixie:** A-one, Speed.  
**Rex:** Then let’s get ready. If we win this qualifier and take out Victoria, we’ll be able to go onto the final race.  
**Inspector:** I’d tell you _both_ that neither of you are really fit to get up, let alone _drive,_ but something tells me you won’t listen. Let’s get you three to the garage.

**__****____ ** ** _ _ **


	6. Part 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I felt that lumping this with either the previous chapter or the next would mess with how it read, so have everyone preparing for the final qualifier!

_We swipe back to the hotel garage, where the others are anxiously waiting for the group to arrive back. It is an hour until dawn. The car pulls up and they immediately run for it, as Speed and Rex carefully get out, having only just gotten the use of their legs back. Everyone, including Trixie once she climbs out of the car herself, and excluding the inspector, since he doesn’t hug people, immediately wraps them in a tight hug. Mom and Pops both begin to fret over their sons, as they’ve been gone for quite some time._

**Pops:** Speed, Rex, are you both okay?  
**Mom:** Speed, you’re _hurt!_  
**Spritle:** Why does Rex have bandages on?  
**Taejo:** Can I get out, please? I got sandwiched in. 

********

_The hug properly separates. Taejo crawls out from where he’d gotten squished. Horuko, who’s by now arrived, rolls her eyes._

********

**Speed:** I’ll be fine, Mom, it’s just some bruising.  
**Mom:** That’s what you said when you were getting into fights and then we needed to take you to a therapist.  
**Speed:** Yeah, yeah. Thank you, Spritle, for finding that spyware trail.  
**Spritle, proudly:** You’re welcome!  
**Pops:** Rex?  
**Rex:** I’m okay, Pops.

********

_They all freeze at the sound of Rex’s changed voice._

********

**Spritle:** Wait, what’s with the different voice?  
**Rex:** They reversed the surgery I got. I had a voice changer installed to deepen my voice, and evidently they took that out.  
**Speed:** Yeah, I might have cried a little hearing it.  
**Taejo:** Well, anyway, forgive me for sounding rude but are you guys still okay to race? There’s no way I can compete alone.  
**Both brothers:** Definitely.

********

_Rex looks off towards the starting line._

********

**Rex:** We have a certain lady to take out of the race, after all.

********

_We soon cut to the sound of cheers, as Johnny announces—_

********

**Johnny:** Welcome, everyone, to the final qualifier for the Gazelle Multi-Rally! Once again, the lovely Ingrid joins me in commentating, and today we are watching the last twenty cars compete for the ten spots in the final rally. We’ve gone from one hundred teams to twenty, folks, and all eyes go to one team in particular: 

********

_We cut to the Mach 5, Hangul and Shooting Star being given a new insignia by Sparky and Pops – the GO Team insignia. This insignia is in the shape of the homing bird’s dove, with the words ‘GO’ and then ‘TEAM’ written underneath in different sizes, and two olive branches extending out like the UN flag, with the homing bird holding a rose in its mouth. Everything except for the bird itself is red or black, depending on the car._

********

**Johnny [V.O.]:** The GO Team, winner of the previous two races and fan favourite to win the whole shebang. 

********

_We pan to where Speed is watching the insignias being applied._

********

**Ingrid [V.O.]:** We do focus on the leader Speed Racer however; it was reported that he and another man were kidnapped by one of the other drivers the night before last and injured, before being rescued early this morning by Trixie Shimura and Inspector Detector of the CIB. He certainly does look bruised, doesn’t he?  
**Johnny:** He does indeed, but he’s ready to drive regardless! This track will go over the recently restored Amazon Rainforest, weaving in and around the Amazon River on specially built roads, and with capture equipment to prevent any damaging of the forest and river, before ending in Rio de Janeiro. _[He pauses, and we shift back to the studio.]_ Hey, listen to the crowd—  
**Crowd: _MACH GO-GO! MACH GO-GO! MACH GO-GO! MACH GO-GO!_**  
**Ingrid, laughing:** The audience is certainly excited! They’re screaming the call of one team, and one team only, and it seems that Lovelace Goldminter is not pleased!

********

_We cut to where Lovelace kicks a loose wheel angrily, before cutting back to Speed hiding a laugh at her behaviour. Trixie comes up next to him, and whispers—_

********

**Trixie:** Remember that pose you did at the end of Casa Cristo?  
**Speed:** Yeah?  
**Trixie:** Do it when you win.  
**Speed:** Yeah, sounds like a fair deal.  
**Trixie:** Be safe. _[She leaves a kiss on his still-bruised cheek.]_  
**Race official:** _DRIVERS! FINAL PREPARATIONS!_

************ ** **

_Speed runs over to Rex and Taejo, the former of whom is masked again. We don’t get to see what he looks like just yet._

************ ** **

**Speed:** Everyone ready?  
**Taejo:** More than ready.  
**Rex:** And the same here. I’m worried about the mask falling off, though, because Minx wouldn’t let me tie it tighter.  
**Minx [O.S., radio]:** You’re bruised in the face, X. I’m not letting you get distracted by a tight mask. Besides, we have our plan in place for if you’re found out. You’ll be fine.  
**Taejo:** Okay, Speed, you lead us in the call.

************ ** **

_They all put their hands into the middle of their gathering._

************ ** **

**Speed:** One—  
**Rex:** _Two—_  
**Taejo: THREE!**  
**All three at once, as they throw their hands up: _MACH GO-GO!_**

************ ** **

_The crowd immediately echoes them, and they all cheer before running for their cars and taxiing to the starting line. We pan to where Trixie is starting to run for her helicopter, with Sparky, Mom and Pops close behind, along with Spritle and Chim-Chim. Horuko and the Inspector take a different helicopter._

************ ** **

**Spritle, as soon as he’s in the helicopter:** Good luck, guys! Speed, _you know what to do!_

************ ** **

_We cut to where Speed is waiting in the Mach 5._

************ ** **

**Speed, grinning:** I sure do!

************ ** **


	7. Part 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the third qualifier~! I'm on an editing spree tonight!

_We cut to the countdown counting from ten all the way to one, before the cars rev impatiently and they’re off! We watch the cars begin racing through the streets for the forest as Johnny commentates._

**Johnny:** And there they go! And they’ve also figured out who kidnapped members of the GO Team – _[We zoom in on Victoria’s car]_ it was Vickie, better known as Victoria Taylor, daughter of Cannonball Taylor, who was financially ruined after his exposure as a cheater at the Grand Prix months ago! We don’t know all the details, but we _do_ know that she’s still out for revenge, and is openly trying to sabotage Speed’s car!

_We change shots to the helicopters._

**Horuko:** Taejo, eight o’clock – Victoria is gaining on you.  
**Taejo [O.S., radio]:** I see her, but I can’t do anything about her just yet – it’s too crowded in the streets. I’ll have to wait until we get to the rainforest.  
**Horuko:** Be careful, brother.  
**Taejo:** I will, I promise.

_We change over to Pops._

**Pops:** Speed, Rex, be _equally_ careful, _especially_ Rex.  
**Rex [O.S., radio]:** I will, Pops. Remind me to apologise to you properly when we finish the race. Speed—

_We swoop down to the Mach 5 and Shooting Star being tailed by Lovelace’s car. We change to Speed’s perspective._

**Speed:** I see her. Rex, remember the intuition trick you taught me?  
**Rex [O.S., radio]:** Standard for all drivers, but yes.  
**Speed:** Well, tell me when to punch it for this next jump so we can make the shortcut.  
**Rex:** Dumb plan, but it might just work. 

_Several moments pass as they drive along. Taejo is bumping into Victoria’s car in the back._

**Rex: _NOW!_**

_They both punch it and make the jump, while Lovelace screams in frustration as she goes down to a lower level. They ended up on a speed-enhancing track. Taejo, noticing the opportunity, also makes the jump, and Victoria screams as she hits the barrier in between._

**Victoria, as she is Kwiksaved: _NOOOOO THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY REVENGE!_**

_We switch to where Speed is pumping one of his fists. He looks exceptionally happy._

**Speed: _WOOHOO! SHE’S GONE!_**

_We switch to see Rex just laughing, before he adds—_

**Rex:** She’s all yours, inspector.  
**Inspector [O.S., radio]:** Thank you, Rex. 

_Suddenly, the mask loosens and flies back. Taejo, behind the others, catches it._

**Taejo:** Rex, your mask!

_We switch to up in the studio._

**Ingrid:** Was that Racer X’s mask that just flew off?  
**Johnny:** I think it was. Wait… is that…?  
**Ingrid:** Holy f***.  
**Both: _REX RACER?!_**

_We zoom in to find **Rex Racer [Scott Porter]** shaking his head slightly before resuming the race._

**Johnny [V.O.]:** Hey, adjust the boards! Racer X was really Rex Racer all along!  
**Ingrid [V.O.]:** Speed doesn’t look surprised, so I think the family has known for at least a little while.  
**Speed [O.S., radio]:** Rex, you okay?  
**Rex:** All good. I can see a camera zooming in on me. Hey, if I flip, do you think they’ll enjoy it?  
**Speed and Taejo [O.S., radio]:** _Do it!_  
**Rex, laughing:** I hate both of you.

****

_The Shooting Star effortlessly flips, and the two commentators whoop in excitement as the cars continue on their path. We cut back to the studio._

****

**Johnny:** It looks like _nothing_ can stop the GO Team, and considering how far ahead they are of their nearest competitor Lovelace, that statement might prove to be correct!  
**Ingrid:** We _are_ coming up to the most perilous part of the track though, and Lovelace is making up for good time as the Mach 5 slows to stay stable on the _River Rafts,_ where the cars literally drive down the Amazon with only wooden bridges between them and the rapids of the river below. It’s just one mad dash for the finish after this.

****

_There are a few shots of the three cars making their way across the river. They’re going slower than earlier, but still making excellent time. We cut between each character as they speak._

****

**Speed:** Careful, guys. Apparently they lost three test drivers on this thing.  
**Rex:** Someone almost _died_ on this thing, actually. She was one of our best agents, too.  
**Taejo:** Jeez, and I know there’s angry and very hungry _piranhas_ down there, too. _[He shudders, clearly remembering when he almost got his hand bitten off in the first film]_  
**Speed:** Don’t remind me!

****

_We cut up to the helicopter._

****

**Trixie:** Looks like Lovelace isn’t going to slow down. You guys might want to get off the bridge and fast – she won’t stop for _anyone._  
**Sparky:** You’re almost at the end of the road – you can probably safely speed up now.  
**Speed [O.S., radio]:** Pedal to the mettle, got it!  
**Spritle:** Punch it, you guys!

********

_All three cars immediately punch forward and are soon in the final mad dash for the finish, tailed closely by Lovelace. We cut up to Johnny and Ingrid._

********

**Ingrid:** Oooh, it’s _definitely_ anyone’s race now! And yet, look at the Mach 5 _go!_ It’s clear to me that Speed Racer, like before, is _definitely_ not settling for second against Lovelace.  
**Johnny:** Rex Racer isn’t far behind in the Shooting Star, and neither is Taejo in the Hangul. Theoretically, they _could_ knock Lovelace out.  
**Ingrid:** I doubt it.

********

_Cut to the three cars in front of Lovelace. They seem to not be going at full speed._

********

**Ingrid [V.O.]:** These boys are much too smart for that. And Lovelace is trying to play dirty!

********

_Lovelace has extended sharp points at the front of her car. We see splitscreens of each character in turn._

********

**Speed:** Everyone, get ready to punch it the moment we reach the city limits.  
**Rex and Taejo:** Got it!  
**Johnny [V.O.]:** Lovelace is closing in…

********

_Suddenly, as they hit the city of Rio’s limits, Speed yells—_

********

**Speed: _NOW!_**

********

_And all three cars lurch forward, turning and deftly avoiding a wall that Lovelace just barely manages to stop in front of. Screaming abuse, she loses precious time turning… and the GO Team have already won._

********

**Ingrid [V.O.]: _AND FOR THE THIRD RACE IN A ROW, THE GO TEAM HAS WON!!_**  
**Crowd: _MACH GO-GO! MACH GO-GO!_**  
**Rex:** Speed, do the pose as soon as we brake.  
**Speed, laughing:** That’s what Trixie said!

********

_The three cars screech to a halt and Speed leaps out, striking his now-iconic pose from Casa Cristo. The crowd immediately **roars!** We zoom in on each driver in turn._

********

**Speed:** WOOHOO! RUSSIA, HERE WE COME!  
**Taejo:** WE’RE GOING TO THE FINAL RACE, PEOPLE!!  
**Rex:** Oh _god_ I just remembered I have no mask. I’m about to get _mobbed._

********

_We zoom back out to include all three. Speed and Taejo realise exactly what’s going to happen._

********

**Speed:** Oh no.

********

_We cut to black…_

********

********


	8. Part 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another short one, but one that I couldn't lump in with the next chapter. We get news on Hikari, and Taejo proposes a dangerous solution to a dangerous problem...

_… and then cut to a shot of the garage as a car pulls in hurriedly. The Mach 5’s just been parked and Speed and Trixie make an absolute **break** for it, quickly followed by Taejo and Rex. They basically are just running into the hotel, where the concierge (a different one to Thomas) just watches them enter and asks—_

**Concierge:** Are you four all right?

_Cut to Speed stopping briefly to catch his breath._

**Speed, panting:** The press is after us!

_Cut back to the concierge._

**Concierge, nodding understandingly:** Ah. Run, then.

_Moments after the four have disappeared into the lifts, a lot of paparazzi and reporters show up._

**Reporter:** Hey, have you seen Speed Racer?  
**Concierge:** Sorry, we’re closing for the night. Kindly leave the premises; otherwise I’ll call security.

_We cut to the elevator, where the four are all gasping for breath. After a moment, Rex starts wheezing with laughter, Trixie soon follows and soon all four of them are laughing._

**Speed:** I wish I could’ve seen the look on their faces!  
**Trixie:** Oh that was _brilliant!_  
**Taejo:** If _(wheeze)_ I keep _(wheeze)_ laughing _(wheeze) I’ll die!_   
**Rex:** We aren’t even supposed to be in the lifts! Our suites are on the first floor!

_This sets them off again, and they laugh until the doors open and the inspector is standing there._

**Rex, gasping for breath:** Sorry Inspector… We’re just running on adrenaline.  
**Inspector:** I’m aware. Once you’ve gained your breath, we have a meeting in the main suite. 

_We slide to the meeting. Everyone is now waiting for the inspector to speak. Taejo ends up asking—_

**Taejo:** Do you have any updates on Hikari? It’s been a while, but we’ve been so busy I haven’t had the time to ask.  
**Inspector:** Hikari’s recovering well. She was able to give us this message from her hospital bed. I was going to mention her anyway – she’s the reason I’m holding this meeting.

_The inspector opens up his laptop to a video. The video plays. It’s Hikari in a hospital bed._

**Hikari:** Howdy, y’all. I think you guys just won the second race? Regardless, this is important: Lovelace is anticipating a final showdown between her and Speed, and only Speed. She’ll probably try to take out the other two in the third race, but in case she’s failed, she will certainly try during the final race.

_We cut to everyone looking at each other. This is sounding serious._

**Hikari:** I can only advise one thing, Speed: Take out Lovelace before she takes out _you._ Racer X, Taejo, stay vigilant. Good luck. Hikari out.

_The screen goes black and the inspector shuts the laptop. Everyone is silent for a moment. We pan between each character._

**Minx:** Intel came in claiming a few hours ago that Lovelace is completely reengineering her car for the final race, with new technology stolen from Royalton Industries’ vaults that they vaulted for being too risky to use. If she _is…_  
**Rex:** Then none of our cars will matter if we don’t _fight back._ There’s a large patch of dead space in Russia, after all.  
**Speed:** And if we get hit during that dead space, _nobody will be able to prove it was Lovelace._  
**Spritle:** So what do we do?  
**Taejo [O.S.]:** I think I have an idea.

_We see a dramatic pan to Taejo._

**Taejo:** But I’m going to need everyone’s permission, because if I mess it up, we’re dead meat, since it’s a last resort.  
**Rex, warningly [O.S.]:** Taejo…  
**Taejo:** Togokahn Motors recently created a new rally weapon, designed to protect and deflect any and all kinds of attacks. If we install it on all three cars… we can catch Lovelace in a feedback loop and knock her out of the race.  
**Speed [O.S.]:** What if she uses an electropulse, though? We could kill her!  
**Taejo:** The weapon will absorb any pulses. Don’t worry about that.

_We pan to Speed exchanging a look with all of his family._

**Speed:** I don’t like this plan… but it may be the only one we have.

_We pan back to Taejo._

**Taejo:** I don’t like it either Speed. That’s why I’m considering it a last resort. Mr Racer? Minx? Inspector? Do I have permission to install the weapon on your cars?

_We pan to Minx and the inspector._

**Minx:** You’ve got mine.  
**Inspector:** And mine. I saw the tests.

_We pan to Pops. He looks uncomfortable._

**Pops:** … All right, but _only_ as a last resort. We need to upgrade the convergenator, anyway. That old thing’s been running for ten years straight. It’s about time we gave the Mach 5 a Bernoulli.

_We cut to the whole room looking shocked. Spritle drops his spoon, as he and Chim-Chim were eating._

**Pops:** What? We’ve had a Bernoulli on every car since the Mach 4. Mind you, Rex, the old 4’s still in the Thunderhead garage. She still drives.  
**Rex:** I…

_We cut back to Pops._

**Pops:** Save it. We’ve got work to do, everyone!

_We cut to Speed grimly declaring—_

**Speed:** GO Team! _Mach Go-Go!_

_We cut back to everyone. They all put their hands into the centre of the group circle, mirroring what the main trio did at the beginning of the last race. ___

____

**Everyone: _MACH GO-GO!_**

____


	9. Part 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And another short part, with a montage and with a much-needed apology.

_MONTAGE TIME BABY! We see multiple shots over the next minute and a half of not only the Mach 5, but the Shooting Star and Hangul, getting the new weapon, emblazoned with the Togokahn symbol, installed, interspersed with shots of Lovelace’s car being refitted entirely. The montage is interrupted by, firstly, Goldminter arriving to talk to his daughter._

**Goldminter:** I should’ve known Victoria would betray us.

_Lovelace shrugs._

**Lovelace:** Things happen, daddy. Besides, this new weapon will work a _charm_ on the Mach 5.  
**Goldminter: _And_** on the other cars. We’ll finally be rid of those three, and I won’t have to give away my own gold.  
**Lovelace:** Daddy, what if they win, though?

_Goldminter goes silent for a few moments, before answering—_

**Goldminter:** Then they’ve earned the gold and the trophy to go with it. I’ll turn myself in, try and keep you out of jail and have Victoria arrested for attempted murder if the CIB haven’t already caught her. They’ll come for me regardless.  
**Lovelace, horrified:** I can’t believe you! You’re a _bad guy, daddy,_ and you’ll just _reward the Racer family if they win?! They’re our **enemy!**_  
**Goldminter:** It was in the agreement, after all.

_Lovelace lets out an anguished cry and stalks away, leaving Goldminter looking over the finished car, painted in pink and purple. We then cut away from them to the hotel, where Rex and Pops are finishing work on the cars. Sparky is somewhere in the back, allegedly finding a part._

**Pops:** The Hangul is certainly an interesting car.  
**Rex [O.S.]:** Still not as fantastic as the Mach 5, though.  
**Pops:** Yeah… Better now than never to say sorry, huh?

_We cut to Rex looking up from the innards of the Shooting Star, surprised. He didn’t expect the apology to be now._

**Rex:** Yeah, I guess it is. Do you want me to start or…?  
**Pops [O.S.]:** No.

_We cut back to Pops as he shuts the hood of the Hangul._

**Pops:** When we had that argument, the night you left _[brief flashback to the argument],_ I messed up, Rex. I told you to never come back. I essentially disowned you, and I’m sorry I did that. I regretted my words the moment you left, but you were already gone by the time I made it outside. I’m sorry I said all those things to you, Rex, and I hope you can forgive me.

_We cut back to Rex, who has a few tears in his eyes._

**Rex:** I… I’m sorry, too. When I left for Uniron, I didn’t explain myself, and only screwed myself further. I knew that the family was being threatened by outside forces thanks to that fan mail bomb _[another brief flashback to the bomb explosion],_ so I decided that the best way to keep you all safe was to leave the Racer Motors team and work with someone else, so that you wouldn’t be threatened anymore. It didn’t work, because they still threatened you, and then we discovered that the Kwiksave had been disconnected in my car – by then I’d met Minx and she was working on my cars – so we realised that we had to do something. It was my idea to fake my death and hide, when I should’ve just confronted Blackjack Benelli for what he’d been threatening. I’m sorry I never explained _any_ of this, and that I hurt everyone like this, because I regretted everything the moment I left and you could’ve found me at Thunderhead, and that— I messed up more than you ever could, Pops, and I _missed_ everyone. I hope you can forgive me, because I forgave you long ago.

_We cut to a side shot of Rex as he wipes his eyes and sniffs, before Pops walks over and envelops him in a tight hug – one that he initially freezes in but soon accepts. We then cut to Sparky, Speed, Mom and Trixie looking on from behind. Speed is beginning to cry. They all walk away to give the father and son privacy. We cut to three out of four (other than Speed) speaking._

**Mom: _Now_** we’re ready for anything. I’ve been waiting for that moment for the past ten years.  
**Sparky:** We _all_ have.  
**Trixie:** We’re going to win this, right Speed? Speed? Don’t leave us hanging, honey.

_We change perspectives to where Speed is wiping his eyes. It’s clear that he was deeply affected by the apology._

**Speed:** _[He sniffs.]_ We will win. I have the best family and team in the entire world. I can only hope that we don’t need to use Taejo’s weapon.

_We pan up to where Taejo and Horuko are watching this unfold in their hotel suite. Taejo sighs._

**Horuko:** Something bothering you, Tae?

_There is a brief pause. For the next conversation, we constantly switch between two shots of both characters._

**Taejo:** This is messed up. I’m sending a _teenager_ into a race against a madwoman, both with possibly the worst weapons ever seen on racecars. I’ll never forgive myself if I end up getting Speed, Rex or anyone else, hurt or, worse, _killed._  
**Horuko:** You’ve changed in the past few months, Taejo. You would have never suggested using a secret weapon, or even listened to what Speed and Rex are telling you.  
**Taejo:** Therapy is weird that way, huh? Man, I’m going to need a whole new slew of it. It _has_ changed me. No wonder I didn’t have friends growing up – I was an _ass!_  
**Horuko:** Indeed you were. But that’s behind us, now. We have a race in just a few days that will throw us _all_ into chaos. I’ll be doing my best to follow behind in one of the helicopters, but the Russian tundra is a dangerous place for cars _and_ for copters.  
**Taejo:** I will, and I’ll do my best to keep the others safe. After all… 

_Cut to black._

**Taejo [V.O.]:** It’s the only thing our family has ever had to do. 


	10. Part 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like I said in Part 3, it's been a few months, and I'm only now remembering why these chapters are so short. It was to build tension, because I'd never posted anything before so... ANYWAY! It's almost time for the race! Time for a mini-confrontation between Trixie and Lovelace!

_A bright light fills the whole screen after a pause. The music swells again as the sun gently rises on a beautiful track. It’s being constantly cleaned, as it is snowing. We drift across the stadium as Johnny speaks._

**Johnny [V.O.]:** Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the starting line for the final race! We have just ten teams competing in the race, from a starting group of one hundred! Many have fallen, and many will fall again, as there can only be one winner. In just a few hours, a grand mad dash across the freezing cold tundra of Russia, with a finish in Korea, will begin, and one team will be crowned the winner of the Gazelle Multi-Rally. Joining me today, apart from Ingrid, will be Ben Burns, legendary driver and former Grand Prix Champion. He explained, in his words, that he ‘isn’t missing this race for the world’. I assume that’s because of Speed Racer and the GO Team, who are favoured to win due to their outstanding no-loss record in the previous three races and also due to the fact that Rex Racer, long thought dead, has been revealed to be hiding in plain sight as Racer X. We excitedly await possibly one of the most dramatic races ever to be seen in racing history, a race that will span over eleven thousand kilometres and a lot of dead space.

_We cut to up in an office. Goldminter is watching the footage. Lovelace is next to him, looking annoyed._

**Lovelace:** They’re insisting each team dresses in separate locker rooms – something about the bounty Speed got during the Grand Prix.  
**Goldminter:** I don’t blame them. Besides, if you actually tried anything, you’d either get caught or punched.  
**Lovelace:** A Racer man won’t strike a woman. I’ll go prove it.  
**Goldminter:** Suit yourself.

_We cut to Lovelace attempting to enter the GO Team’s locker room. Trixie is waiting. We see the perspective from Trixie’s side._

**Trixie, raising an eyebrow:** You _know_ you can’t go in there, Lovelace.  
**Lovelace, annoyed:** Out of my way, you incapable _twit._

_Trixie punches her in the nose._

**Lovelace:** Ow!

_We switch perspectives._

**Trixie:** Maybe remember who punched you the first time, Lovelace. Now leave the GO Team be, and save it for the race. We’re ready for you.  
**Lovelace:** I doubt it, _Shimura._ Damn it, I knew I remembered that stupid name from somewhere! Ow…

_Lovelace walks off, holding her nose. Trixie smirks and walks into the locker room. The three drivers are all dressed – Speed is wearing his iconic Casa Cristo uniform, complete with a winter touch-up and the ascot; Rex is in a mix of his Racer X uniform and the uniform he wore to Thunderhead all those years ago; Taejo is in the winter version of his standard racing gear. All three have a patch made by Mom of the GO Team’s insignia, as well as their names underneath. We see Trixie from behind and Speed in front of her as the camera stops panning._

**Trixie:** Everyone ready?  
**Speed:** Probably not, but are we ever? Also, did you just punch Lovelace _again?_

_We see a dramatic pan to Taejo._

**Taejo:** Wait, _again?_

_And we see another to Rex._

**Rex:** When did _that_ happen??

_And we see a final one to Trixie as she grins. ___

____

**Trixie:** Lovelace called Speed a pretty bad name the first day he noticed me, so I naturally punched her and we were smitten from that moment on.  
**Speed, sheepishly:** I drove the go-kart into a rosebush. 

____

_We cut to see Rex facepalm and Taejo burst into laughter. A door opening interrupts them._

____

**Pops [O.S.]:** Hey! GO Team!

____

_We pan over to Pops._

____

**Pops:** The cars are ready!  
**Spritle, popping up with Chim-Chim:** I hope you’re ready to rock and roll!

__******** _ _

_Chim-Chim makes his usual noises. They have both got candy in their hands. We cut to see Trixie just smile and give Speed a kiss on his cheek. We cut to see Taejo roll his eyes, and then to Rex sighing, before back to Trixie as she stops the kiss and leaves. Speed turns to his brother and friend._

__******** _ _

**Speed:** I know we’re going to do this out there, but… _GO TEAM! [He pumps his fists up] **MACH GO-GO!**_  
**Everyone, copying him: _MACH GO-GO! MACH GO-GO!_**

__******** _ _


	11. Part 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is Part 1 of the final race, and yes I could leave y'all with a cliffhanger and not update for another week, but I'd forget to and never complete uploading this fic. You've already waited a couple of months for this, all three of the people who saw it.

_The second ‘MACH GO-GO’ is outside with the crowd backing them. The music is loud and crazy here for a moment, before Sparky, Minx and Horuko approach the trio, Minx still in a wheelchair. We focus on Minx._

**Minx:** Now, I’ve done my best, but ultimately it’s up to you three to win this race. Rex, as always, I wish you the best of luck.

_We switch to Rex._

**Rex, smiling:** I won’t let us down, Minx.

_We switch to Horuko._

**Horuko:** Brother, for the love of everything, we _still_ have to find you a spouse. Please don’t die.

_We switch to Taejo rolling his eyes._

**Taejo:** I won’t, I promise.

_Finally, we switch to Sparky._

**Sparky:** Speed, you better win this. I’m looking forward to that cold milk again.

_We switch to Speed side-hugging both his brother and his friend, a huge grin on his face._

**Speed:** You can count on it, Sparky. Thank you.

_They all glance up as the announcer calls out for the drivers to take to their cars._

**Speed:** Okay, GO Team! _Let’s do this! [He runs for the Mach 5 off-camera]_  
**Taejo:** Yeah! _[He runs for the Hangul off-camera]_  
**Rex:** _[He rolls his eyes, before grinning.]_ Korea, _here we come! [He finally runs for the Shooting Star]_

_We see interspersing shots of each driver – from the trio, to Lovelace, to other drivers in the race – and of those watching – from the families to Goldminter – as Ingrid speaks._

**Ingrid:** We wait now with bated breath for the start of this monumental race. Eleven thousand kilometres stand between these teams and victory, though, to be honest, this race is between two people and two alone – Speed Racer and Lovelace Goldminter. The crowd is rooting for Speed – but will it be enough?

_A countdown in multiple languages echoes through the area. We see shots of all three GO Team drivers doing various things – Speed glances over to Rex, Rex brings down his goggles and Taejo shakes himself. We’re also reintroduced to Ben Burns. The countdown reaches four, and the starting lady raises her pistol. It finally reaches one, and the gun’s flare explodes! The sound of car tires screaming **fills** the arena, until all cars fly into action! Immediately, two of them crash and Kwiksave, but the GO Team and Lovelace fly easily into the lead, two more cars taking themselves out on the sudden narrow fence. We switch over to the studio briefly._

**Ben Burns:** What a start! GO Team is _clearly_ in this to win, as they streak far ahead, but Lovelace isn’t giving up so easily!  
**Johnny:** I’ve never seen anything quite like this in the history of racing – look how easily the other cars are being knocked out!

_We see slow-mo of literally every other car either blowing up or hitting something hard enough to Kwiksave._

**Ingrid:** That was _suspiciously_ fast. It’s just GO Team and Lovelace now. If Lovelace wins, her father keeps the money. If the GO Team win, _they_ get the money. Regardless, _something_ is bound to go down. I’m spying traps near the downed cars!

_Up in the helicopter, Spritle notices the traps too, on the livestream._

**Spritle:** Watch out for Lovelace, Speed! She’s got traps!  
**Speed [O.S., radio]:** I know! I don’t think she’ll try anything yet, though!

_We zoom down to Rex in the Shooting Star._

**Rex:** Knowing this terrain, she’ll probably wait for about halfway through the race – that’s the major dead zone due to the massive forest.  
**Minx [O.S., radio]:** Heads up, Rex!

_Rex ducks as Lovelace jumps over the Shooting Star, a gun in her hand._

**Rex:** Thanks. Canopies up, everybody.  
**Speed and Taejo, splitscreening:** Canopies going up!

_All three canopies, in a splitscreen, snap closed. We see Lovelace reluctantly put her gun down, a frustrated look evident on her face. ___

____

**Goldminter [O.S., radio]:** Patience, Lovelace. You’ll be able to attack them in the forest up ahead. 

____

_We cut up to where Trixie’s helicopter is hovering above the race, watching the cars leap in and over each other. Trixie can see the forest up ahead._

____

**Trixie:** All drivers, you’re about ten kilometres from the dead zone. For the next while, contact is only going to be possible between cars. Be safe in there. We’ll send in emergency services after about three hours.  
**Speed [O.S., radio]:** Thank you, Trixie. Everyone, I love you!

____

_The radio cuts out at the last bit of ‘you’, as all three cars enter the massive dead zone. We cut to Spritle and Pops, watching from above._

____

**Spritle:** Why’s down there a dead zone, Pops?  
**Pops:** It’s said that this forest absorbed a lot of radiation during a test nearby. There’s so much that we can’t contact those inside, and they can’t contact us. In fact, while the radiation won’t hurt any of them, it will mess with their navigation. There’s a large chasm somewhere in there.

____

_We pan down to the four cars racing through the trees. Speed is easily in the lead, but Lovelace and the rest of the GO Team aren’t far behind. It’s eerily quiet._

____

**Pops [O.S.]:** I only hope they don’t find it.

____

_We pan across the four different drivers, silent as they focus on avoiding the trees. Lovelace, though, has a plan. We see her manage to weasel her way into the centre of the GO Team and Rex yells—_

____

**Rex:** _THAT’S THE WEAPON!_

____

_As we see Lovelace’s car produce a massive dish-like weapon of some sort with various spikes, a loud purr fills the air as the Togokahn weapon activates. We see a shot of the Mach 5’s interior, as the device activates and a strange shield forms around each car in succession. Nobody realises, but the Mach 5’s is faulty – the shield is incomplete at the front._

____

**Lovelace: _DIE YOU MEDDLING FOOLS!_**

____

_The weapon fires… and the Togokahn weapons fire back. For several moments, with added flips and spins, the four duke it out for supremacy. The final blast, however, is what really changes everything. Something resembling a massive electric wave with **spikes** forms and, while it’s deflected back and seemingly destroys Lovelace’s car, it shorts out the Mach 5’s machine… and hits the Mach 5 dead on. We see Speed yelp as he struggles to regain control of the car, Lovelace’s laughter echoing even as she’s seemingly Kwiksaved and thrown to safely, before… the Mach 5 goes over the chasm’s edge._

____

**Rex: _SPEEDY!_**  
**Taejo: _SPEED!_**

____

_For several, long seconds, there is nothing but silence. Rex and Taejo get out of their cars and run over to the edge of the chasm, but they can’t see a thing. Taejo picks up his radio. His face is desperate, hoping for a response._

____

**Taejo:** Mach 5! Come in! Mach 5! Come in, please…! Speed… 

____

_He drops the receiver as the perspective changes to the back of them. Rex begins to shake. He’s crying._

____

**Taejo:** Do you want me to report this in?  
**Rex:** _(through sobbing)_ Please. We need search and rescue here now.

____


	12. Part 12 // Finale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final part of the race...

_Several seconds pass, during which Taejo heads for the Hangul, but then the radio crackles into life._

**Speed [O.S., radio]:** Search and rescue not required – mind your heads! 

****

_Suddenly, out of nowhere, they hear a roar as the Mach 5 leaps over Rex and screeches to a halt. Speed, clearly scared half to death, is gasping at the wheel as the tire crampons change back to normal. We see Rex choke on a sob, before he gets up, runs to Speed and drags him into a hug while he's still in the car._

****

**Rex:** I thought… we both thought…  
**Speed, also beginning to cry:** So did I! So did I!  
**Taejo, approaching the brothers, also beginning to cry:** I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry…  
**Speed:** Taejo, it’s okay! Well, it’s not, but we can’t race like this!  
**Taejo:** One hug, and then we finish this goddamn race.

****

_Speed climbs out of the Mach 5 to wrap the team in a hug. They’re all an emotional wreck, but Rex, once the hug is pulled out of, simply says—_

****

**Rex:** All hands in.

****

_They all put their hands in. It’s a grim mirror of twice before, all with tearstains on their cheeks._

****

**Speed:** One—  
**Rex:** _TWO—_  
**Taejo: _THREE!_**

********** **

_They throw their hands to the forest ceiling, and it transitions to sky as they yell—_

********** **

**All three: _MACH GO-GO! MACH GO-GO!_**

********** **

_Just as the three cars leap overhead! We hear an excited Ben Burns over everything._

********** **

**Ben [V.O.]:** And three cars have exited the forest! They’re all from GO Team and, if Lovelace doesn’t emerge herself, they’re automatically the winners of the rally!  
**Ingrid [V.O.]:** Wait, I see something… Well damn. She made it out.

********** **

_We cut to see Speed glancing in his mirror, seeing Lovelace and yelling—_

********** **

**Speed:** Hey, how did this weak shit get back here?!  
**Mom:** Speed, language!  
**Pops:** What happened in there?!

********** **

_We switch to Taejo._

********** **

**Taejo:** Long story short, we thought we blew up Lovelace! Evidently, she anticipated that and stole a new car or something!

********** **

_We switch to Rex._

********** **

**Rex:** This really _is_ a mad dash. Everyone, push the pedal to the mettle. I just checked the final part of the course – it’s WRL-track standard.

********** **

_We switch to everyone in quick succession._

********** **

**Speed:** Oh boy. Flips?  
**Rex [O.S., radio]:** Worse. _Grand Prix-style._  
**Taejo [O.S., radio]:** Then we better race our butts off.

********** **

_We switch to Taejo._

********** **

**Taejo:** Because if we don’t, then all our effort and emotions have been for nothing.

********** **

_We zoom out to all three cars racing along, shortly joined by Lovelace. We then realise that Goldminter is actually watching the whole thing on a screen._

********** **

**Unknown henchman:** Sir, your daughter is growing desperate. Her attempts in the dead zone only set back the trio a little.

********** **

_Goldminter is silent for a moment._

********** **

**Goldminter:** All right, then. Call the CIB, regardless of who wins, but tell them to leave the small mountain of gold alone, since it’s a prize. I’ll go quietly. If you leave before they arrive, you can get away. It’s not worth getting arrested for this.  
**Henchman:** But sir—!  
**Goldminter:** That’s an order.

********** **

_The henchman hesitates, but soon he is walking away, presumably to a phone. Goldminter just continues watching the race, as Ben Burns’ commentary comes over the speakers._

********** **

**Ben Burns [V.O.]:** The GO Team are really giving this race their all! We were worried for a moment due to the explosion we saw earlier, but apart from the Mach 5 having a huge dent in its side and Lovelace’s car changing entirely—

********** **

_We switch to see Ben in the studio._

********** **

**Ben Burns:** Nothing else seems to have changed!

********** **

_We switch to Johnny._

********** **

**Johnny:** I doubt that, Ben! Lovelace seems to be growing more and more desperate – she’s trying to edge out Speed, but we’re approaching the final stage and it looks like they’ll be neck and neck the whole way!

********** **

_We change down to where the gang is entering the end city. We see that all of them look particularly stressed._

********** **

**Speed:** Rex, Taejo, I can’t shake Lovelace. What do I do?  
**Rex [O.S., radio]:** What you did during the Grand Prix.  
**Taejo [O.S., radio]:** What _did_ you do during the Grand Prix?

********** **

_Speed thinks for a moment._

********** **

**Speed:** I’m still not entirely sure, but Spritle called it a _nirvana_ state. 

********** **

_We cut to the helicopter. We focus on Spritle and Chim-Chim as they yell—_

********** **

**Spritle:** Yeah, because you were _barely thinking_ during the entire last quarter lap of the Grand Prix! You just _drove!_

********** **

_We switch to Rex._

********** **

**Rex:** And you did it because you were _listening to the Mach 6._ The Mach 5 is no different. Just _listen_ and let _her_ drive _you._  
**Speed:** … I’ll question your wording later. Can I get silence, please?

********** **

_The radio goes dead silent. Sparky actually cuts off the helicopter’s radio as they land and run over to their viewing box. We cut between everyone._

********** **

**Sparky:** Oh _man_ this is tense…  
**Trixie:** Come on Speed, you can do it… Rex and Taejo _need_ you to…  
**Mom:** What can he do?  
**Pops:** The Mach 5 is not usually designed for things like this, but I discovered that if he presses the D button while his tires are normal, it qualifies them for WRL tracks _by changing their structure to T180 status. I don’t even know how that works!_  
**Spritle:** Nobody could know that, though – except maybe Minx!

********** **

_Chim-Chim makes agreement noises. Minx comes up behind them in the wheelchair._

********** **

**Minx:** He’s right – only a few members of the CIB knew about the D shift I installed when I remodelled the Mach 5, mostly because I wasn’t sure if it _worked._ The Shooting Star and Hangul will change automatically since they’re normally racecars, but if Speed wants any chance at making it over the largest jump… he’s going to need the shift.

********** **

_In the studio, all three hosts are waiting just as silently, with only Ingrid breaking the silence._

********** **

**Ingrid:** This is something I haven’t ever seen in person before. Are we about to see the legendary _nirvana_ state from the Grand Prix?  
**Ben Burns:** I think we are. The whole crowd has gone silent as the cars approach the final stage… Even the rest of the GO Team is silent.

********** **

_We find ourselves watching Speed as he blocks out all interference – Lovelace is screaming abuse at him again – and mutters to himself—_

********** **

**Speed:** What do you need?

********** **

_And, like magic, he shifts to the D button and, out of nowhere, not only does the Mach 5 shift into a T180 configuration, but Speed’s nirvana mode kicks in. He snaps his eyes open and the car begins to **paint! He’s now neck and neck with Lovelace!**_

********** **

**Lovelace: _WHAT?!_**

********** **

_We cut back to Rex and Taejo._

********** **

**Rex:** Come on, he can’t win without us! Let’s _go!_  
**Taejo: _HELL YEAH!_**

********** **

_Now, all four cars are racing along, but the various commentators – a whole bunch of languages – are talking only about the two far in front. It’s clear to them that this is the final battle, and it’s between Speed and Lovelace, with Rex and Taejo holding back to let them duke it out. For several moments, all they do is fly up, crash into each other, and try their best to knock each other out… It’s chaotic. The crowd loves it, and **everyone** is screaming. Then, as they approach a massive jump, someone starts up **MACH GO-GO** again and it echoes as the Mach 5 **leaps** over it, Lovelace watching with a shocked look on her face. We cut to the family watching. Spritle and Chim-Chim are cheering with the crowd. Everyone else is tense. Trixie can’t stand still. Neither can Mom._

********** **

**Rex [O.S., radio]:** They’re coming up to the finish line, everyone. I can see it from here!  
**Taejo [O.S., radio]:** If Speed gets one move wrong…  
**Pops:** He won’t. He’s a Racer with a Grand Prix title and a record-setting brother. He knows what he’s doing.  
**Trixie:** _Come on Speed!!!!_  
**Sparky, Spritle and Mom: _YOU CAN DO IT!!!!_**

********** **

_The whole final part of the race is even more chaotic. Interspersed with adoring screams, the commentators losing their shit, and shots of all four drivers, we watch Speed climb onto a part of the wall, jump off, catch the screaming Lovelace with one of his jacks and, after sending them both into a dangerous spiral through the air, he manages to time the activation of the jacks to shoot Lovelace’s car into the ceiling, sending the Mach 5 rolling to a halt on the finish line, beaten up, dented, but the winner of the race. The crowd goes dead silent again. The Shooting Star and Hangul arrive, and both Rex and Taejo run over to the Mach 5._

********** **

**Rex:** The canopy’s stuck! That crash must’ve jammed it!  
**Taejo:** On three! One, two, three!

********** **

_They pull the canopy off, somehow, and find Speed inside, shaking his head slightly._

********** **

**Rex:** Speedy? Are you okay?

********** **

_In full view of the cameras, Speed sticks a thumb up, and the whole crowd goes absolutely wild! The GO Team has just won!! Rex and Taejo, once Speed’s free of his seatbelt, lift him onto their shoulders and start parading him towards the trophy stage, the crowd cheering for the team as they do so. If that last scene was ‘Reboot’, then this is the equivalent of Let Us Drink Milk._

********** **

_Up in the studio, the commentators are all just yelling. Ingrid hugs both Ben and Johnny. Johnny is yelling something about ‘THEY DID IT!’ In the office room, Goldminter knows he’s beaten and just shakes his head, before picking up the phone next to him._

********** **

**Goldminter:** The CIB will be coming for us. I suggest you all run before you get caught up in this.

********** **

_We shift back to the trio as they head for the trophy stage. Speed and Taejo are both cheering loudly, and Rex is initially, but soon he begins to spiral into a dark pattern of grief. Speed notices the moment he’s put down. We cut between each character._

********** **

**Speed:** Rex?  
**Rex:** … I don’t deserve to share this win with you guys. _[He turns away]_  
**Taejo, from next to Speed:** _Huh?!_  
**Speed:** _Why?!_  
**Rex:** I lied to you all from the beginning of the race, hiding in plain sight as Racer X. I shouldn’t have insisted on working with you two – not because we’re not a good team, but because for the first half of this mess, you believed I was just X. _[He tears up.]_ And now that we’re here, all I’m feeling is guilt, because you all thought I was dead…  
**Speed:** Rex, _we’ve forgiven you._  
**Rex, turning back to Speed:** I know, but I still haven’t forgiven myself.

******__** ** **

_He pauses for a while as he has flashbacks of the mess he made, then turns to leave, taking off his helmet. Speed just grabs his arm._

******__** ** **

**Speed:** Maybe you haven’t forgiven yourself yet, but that’s no reason to leave. No matter who you were – Racer X, Rex Racer – _nobody cares who you are anymore._ Sure, we’ll probably hear older commentators and officials complain about how a former dirty driver just helped win a major race, but they’re old and they don’t remember that behind that driver, there was a protective older brother trying to keep his family safe. So come and celebrate with us, Rex. You more than deserve it, regardless of identity and history. Because you may have done some stuff, but you helped us win, fair and square. We couldn’t have done this without you. You’re a Racer, a brother—  
**Taejo, clapping his hands on both brothers’ shoulders:** And a friend.

******__** ** **

_There’s a pause, before Rex wipes away the tears that have gathered and he manages a smile._

******__** ** **

**Rex:** Okay, _fine,_ you win.  
**Taejo:** Besides, you’ve saved both of our idiot selves before, because we’ve done some pretty stupid stuff.

******__** ** **

_They all start laughing and cheering, with the music swelling in the background, just before one of the awards ladies arrives with a large bottle of milk. Speed immediately drinks some thirstily, before Taejo steals it and drinks some, before offering it to Rex. Rex hesitates briefly, but soon downs a drink of his own, before spying Sparky and handing the bottle to him. As Sparky happily drinks, Speed grabs both Rex and Taejo in another side hug, before various members of the family ambush them all. Mom ambushes Rex, Pops and Spritle ambush Speed. Horuko ambushes Taejo. The brothers swap around family members, before Minx wheels onto the stage. She congratulates all of them with a handshake, before wheeling away. Then, finally, Trixie makes it to the stage and Speed picks her up in a spinning hug before, in front of the screaming crowd, he dips and kisses her, the music swelling once again. After that, the trophy is brought out and Speed is given it, standing next to his brother and his friend, before looking out to the audience and, pumping one of his fists, yells—_

******__** ** **

**Speed: _MACH GO-GO!_**

******__** ** **

_Everyone immediately echoes him, before they all start cheering and it finishes on a freeze frame of the three GO Team members holding the trophy high above their heads._

******__** ** **

_End of film._

******__** ** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of Speed Racer 2: Electric Boogaloo! Hope y'all enjoyed!


End file.
